It Takes One
by panpipes
Summary: Alternate Series Four. What if Paige had killed that man way back at the beginning of the series? Then she would become evil... and her connection to her sisters would turn them evil too... Who can stop them? *complete ta da!*
1. It Is Done

Teaser: We all know how season four plays out (sorry if you don't!), with Paige coming into the Halliwell family and after a rough start, they become a unit once more with the power of three, a powerful unit of good.  
  
Way back in Charmed Again Two (ep 2), Piper and Phoebe had to stop Paige from killing a human she thought was beating his own child. They did it just in time by getting Leo to orb her out.   
  
But what if they'd failed? What if Paige succeeded and killed the mortal?  
  
They'd been told that if this happened, Paige would become evil. Having committed murder, will she do so? And will she take her sisters down with her?  
  
Here is my alternate series 4.   
  
  
  
It Takes One  
  
  
Chapter One: It Is Done  
  
  
  
  
"She has forty-eight hours to choose her side."  
  
"We have to find her."  
  
"Use your power for your desires, to seek your own revenge. Use your power. Call for his heart. Call for his life."  
  
"If we don't convince her, we're done."  
  
"Twenty four hours left."  
  
"Evil will prevail."  
  
"I can do whatever the hell I want to my kid... and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"  
  
"You can get him Paige, you can save that child!"  
  
"Make him suffer, Paige, he's evil."  
  
"I will... I will make that bastard pay."  
  
* * *  
  
"Heart," Paige uttered, holding her hand out and staring at the man as his hands suddenly flew to his chest in agony. She could feel his fluttering organ press itself against his ribcage, squeezing itself in a horrifying bid to travel to Paige's waiting hand.  
  
His wife cried his name, darting to his side. "Jake? What is it? No!"  
  
He was on the ground now, writhing in fearsome pain, screaming and crying out. His words didn't mean anything to Paige. The loathing she felt enveloped her and she concentrated on pulling his heart further. She could almost feel it materialising into her outstretched palm, bleeding and still beating, until it slowed, choked out one last spasm, and faltered.  
  
He deserved it. He deserved everything that was coming to him. Death was the only answer.  
  
And Paige felt great.  
  
She could feel it beginning to beat irregularly, sometimes it pumped at a frightful speed, trying to sustain life for all it was worth. Then there would be a long pause as it's strength sapped. It was almost over.  
  
"Paige!" a voice from behind her came, and she felt herself topple as somebody rugby-tackled her to the ground.  
  
"No!" Paige roared, kicking Leo off and clambering up.  
  
"You know what?" a voice she recognised as Piper's cried, then her sister stepped in front of her, "Hi. Leo, take her. Go home. Go, go, go, go!"  
  
Leo placed his arms around her.  
  
Panic took over as she saw the bastard begin to regain normal breathing and she felt herself orb out. This was something she couldn't let go!  
  
Sharply, she jerked out of Leo's grasp, leaving his orb just as he disappeared. She called for the man's heart again. This time, she succeeded.  
  
With one last strangled scream, the man's body flopped down onto the hard sidewalk. And didn't move.  
  
"Jake, no!" the woman cried.  
  
Leo orbed back in, his face clearly fearful. He darted to the mans side and placed his hands over him. Nothing happened.  
  
Paige glared at the corpse. It was disgusting, watching his widow cry like that, and all the bystanders running about trying to help. Nothing would help now.  
  
She turned around to make her exit and stopped short on seeing Piper and Phoebe, their faces horrified. Leo quickly joined them, staring at her.  
  
"What do you want?" she demanded.  
  
Piper took several steps forward, her eyes fixed on Paige's face. "What have you done?" she whispered. Paige was a little surprised at how shocked Piper looked. Surely they faced down death everyday - and it wasn't like they knew the guy! Paige had done the world a service purging him from their midst.  
  
"You... you killed him," Phoebe said. "You killed somebody."  
  
Paige felt intensely uncomfortable at the way Piper was staring at her. Why was Piper so bothered? Why did she care so much? Why wouldn't she stop staring!?!   
  
'Do I feel bad?' Paige thought, suddenly questioning herself.   
  
Piper was practically a stranger, but Paige could sense her incredible disappointment and in turn felt ashamed! How could this be? She'd done a good thing! Hadn't she?  
  
She was cracking under Piper's eyes. She wanted to stay strong, to act like she didn't care, but she just couldn't. Not with the way Piper was making her feel.  
  
"Tear the face off, Piper," she said quietly.  
  
Instantly, Piper adjusted her gaze and looked away. Paige could see her eyes were tearful. It was just one man! And Piper hardly knew Paige - why did she look so defeated?  
  
"We gotta get out of here," Leo said.  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath and said "Okay. There's, uh, a couple cars over there. We can go and orb out."  
  
They began to walk briskly away. Paige remained, numbly.  
  
Seconds later, Phoebe returned. "You're coming with us," she said through clenched teeth.  
  
Paige let Phoebe grab a rough hold of her arm and drag her after the other two. Her mind was frozen. She couldn't concentrate on anything, and felt like she would never want to. She was in shock.  
  
They rejoined Piper and Leo behind some of the parked cars. With a sharp tug on her arm, Paige was forced to duck down with them.  
  
"Ready?" Leo asked.  
  
Then he orbed them out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Wow I finally got this one online! You have no idea how long I have been working on this... I only hope you love reading it as much as I love writing it. Pretty neat idea, huh?  
A/N: You know, I did RESEARCH for this one! I looked up the script and 'borrowed' real live quotes! Praise me. Now!  
A/N: Thank you to Paigeriffic for his idea for the title, I like it a lot, and it makes sense - which is always nice.  
  
pp 


	2. Good Paige, Bad Paige

Chapter Two: Good Paige, Bad Paige  
  
  
  
  
Paige stumbled into Leo once they had orbed in. It wasn't something she was used to, and in truth wasn't something she'd particularly want to get used to either.  
  
He gently pushed her away. "They're calling," he informed them.   
  
Piper sniffed loudly. She was crying. Leo touched her chin and pointed her face towards him.  
  
"I'm scared," she whispered, "What's going to happen? What about The Source?"  
  
"I don't know," he said sadly, and disappeared in a cluster of orbs.  
  
When he was gone, Paige began to panic.  
  
"What do you mean 'what's going to happen'?" she demanded.  
  
Piper didn't answer.  
  
Phoebe touched her older sister's arm soothingly, and looked at her younger sibling. "Paige," she said, "the Charmed Ones... we're not about hunting down and punishing the bad people, we're about saving the innocents."  
  
"I did save an innocent!" Paige exploded, "That man hit his own child! I saved that kid with what I did! You guys should be proud-"  
  
"We're not supposed to kill humans," Phoebe cut her off sharply. "Humans are different."  
  
Paige scoffed. "Why? Because they're not big and ugly like demons?"  
  
"Demons can't go to prison. But humans certainly can. We do not kill humans," Phoebe told her, her voice cold and commanding.  
  
"He was an evil man!"  
  
"Who should've been in jail, not dead," Phoebe said, her voice raising so her anger was clear. "I don't think you realise what you've done, Paige. You've taken a life and destroyed it. You've hurt the man and his family - whether he hit his kid or not."  
  
There was a loud smash as a vase of flowers near Phoebe exploded. Both Phoebe and Paige leapt back with yelps, Phoebe going on instant demon alert, and Paige cowering behind her hands. Then Phoebe noticed Piper's hands were raised.  
  
"Phoebe," Piper said, her voice high and her teeth clenched, "I think you're missing the point, just a teensy bit."  
  
Phoebe watched her interestedly. What were they missing?  
  
Piper continued. "Remember what Leo said? The whole reason we went after her in the first place?" her voice had been steadily getting louder as she spoke and finished in a loud cry.  
  
The middle Halliwell's jaw dropped. Her eyes flickered to Paige, who receded when she saw both women staring at her.  
  
"What?" she asked defensively.  
  
"The, uh, Source," Piper mumbled.  
  
Paige blinked. "Not all that again... Look, guys, I wanna make this clear. I'm not like you. I know you're into all this Witchcraft and Charmed Ones stuff, and hey I'll admit I find it interesting, but-"  
  
"Paige," Phoebe pleaded. "You have to listen to us. Please?"  
  
Paige paused, and sighed. "This has gone too far. I don't wanna be a part of your little crime-fighting squad or whatever you are, I don't wanna know about your Source-"  
  
"No, Paige, you don't understand," Piper cried. "Since The Source found out about you, he and The Elders have been sort of... I don't know... trying to get you on their side. The Source wants you as part of his army of evil, and the Elders want you on our side - good." Piper's words had gotten Paige's attention. She continued. "Since you've just become a Charmed One, you're not really good or evil. The, uh, decider was... was..." she faltered, not knowing where to look.  
  
Paige watched at her intensely. "The decider was what?" she demanded.  
  
"If you killed somebody, or commited an act of evil within a specific time, then you'd be doomed to become evil," Phoebe told her.  
  
"What?" Paige cried, her voice raising into a frenzied panic. "That's ridiculous! That's it? I get one chance and I muck it up and that's me? Damned to be evil?"  
  
Piper took in a shuddering breath. "That's what we know."  
  
"Well there's no way," Paige said decisively. "Absolutely no way."  
  
"How do we know it's not happening already? You're hardly showing any signs of remorse." Phoebe commented.  
  
This dawned on Paige. It was true! Not only that, but she knew she'd felt good killing that man, she knew she had! And it was only when Piper had been giving her that look of sheer disappointment that she had felt bad. Awful, to be more realistic. But still. In her heart, Paige couldn't help but know she should feel worse than this. But, she didn't.  
  
Then the heaviness of what she'd done hit her. The consequences of her decision emerged in her imagination as she realised just what she'd done. She'd taken soneone's life, and now hers was about to be stolen from her too.  
  
"Oh god," she whispered, fear and shock flooding over her, "I'm evil!"  
  
She fell to her knees, sobbing heavily. Tears poured from her eyes. How could she have done something so stupid, so reckless? So... evil! She had crushed a man's life without giving a damn about the consequences, and now she was going to have to pay the price.   
  
Piper placed an awkward arm on Paige's shoulder while looking at Phoebe. What were they going to do? Was this the end of the Charmed Ones? How could they possibly operate with only the power of two - it defeated the purpose! Something worried her further though: what about The Source? This was what he'd wanted, wasn't it? What if he knew... well, of course he knew, there wasn't much he didn't know. But what was he going to do about it?  
  
They could do nothing else but wait. 


	3. Deterioration

A/N: Coleo you remembered the chapter title! Well done you!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Three: Deterioration  
  
  
  
  
It had been three days since Paige had murdered someone. Piper and Phoebe had tried to remain in constant contact with her, but she'd refused most of their attempts at keeping in touch.  
  
She had sunk into depression.   
  
The idea of her being 'evil' wouldn't leave her mind - during the day she couldn't eat for worrying. At night, when she finally managed to slide her way into sleep it dominated her dreams.   
  
Her dreams.   
  
She'd done unspeakable things in them. Murder, torture, pain, hurt, inflicting loss, destruction... this put her mind into a turmoil. Her paranoia was strong; she screened her calls. Mostly from Piper or Phoebe, urgently begging her to contact them. She would never. They didn't know where she lived - good.  
  
Work hadn't been an issue so far, her boss had called and left a message telling her to take a few days off after 'the incident'. She didn't care. She didn't know if she'd ever go back there again. Not after what happened.   
  
All that was on Paige's mind was the creeping feeling of evil clawing it's path into her heart. Or, she thought it was. She couldn't tell what was real and what was in her mind. Everything? Nothing? It was impossible to tell. She couldn't trust herself to tell the difference. Would she ever be able to trust herself? Whatever was inside her, it was eating her alive.  
  
Frustration.  
  
Her home was a mess. It wasn't even her home any more, it was her hide-away. All of her possessions littered the place - reflecting the mess in her mind - in a jumble of her personality. Everything that could be conceived as a weapon was neatly lined up several feet from where she now sat, palms gripping at her temples, sweating, crouched down, back against the wall.  
  
She was beginning to get angry again. It came quickly, the feeling of overheating and that irrational urge to let it all out. She suddenly stood up and jerked herself away from the wall, wrenching one of her shoes off and stumbling over to her mirror. Head cocked, she examined her reflection.   
  
'Who am I,' she thought furiously, 'What am I?'  
  
The mirror offered no answers. Paige continued to stare, to look into her eyes and see what was going on behind them. That's when it happened.   
  
A black shadow passed over the Paige in the mirror. It was so quick that it was a miracle Paige had even seen it.   
  
With a sharp intaking breath, Paige stepped back a few paces, her wide eyes not leaving the reflection, staring back. Was it smiling at her?  
  
"No," she uttered, and sharply turned away.   
  
She needed to find something to concentrate on. The past few days had been so idle, her mind had nothing to focus on but her deterioration. What to do, what to do...  
  
Paige remembered something she didn't want to remember. But she did. She was a witch now. She had powers. And those powers needed honing and work. Even if she didn't want anything to do with it, it might stop her from going crazy!   
  
Thinking of the stunt in the church with the candle, when she'd simply said the word and it had appeared in her hand, Paige twisted to see the array of 'weapons' she'd laid out.   
  
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she held out her hand and gave the command: "knife."  
  
Nothing.  
  
But she'd - she'd used this power already... she'd killed someone with it! Did she need to fill herself with some sort of emotion?  
  
"Knife," she repeated, her voice pleading and desparate. And this time, it slowly disintegrated into tiny little orbs and appeared in her hands.  
  
She fingered the blade. She liked the feeling of holding a weapon, it made her feel safer and definitely stronger. She tossed it down with the rest. More practise, bigger things.  
  
"Book," she said. The phone directory's weight made her hand drop a little, but she regained it.  
  
"Lamp."  
  
And her work began. She went through many objects in her space, gradually working her way to bigger and heavier things. She was tiring now, but it felt so good to be able to concentrate on something! All her worries were pushed to the back of her mind as she worked, getting stronger in power as well as soul.   
  
Then she once again faced the mirror. It was a big one, full length, and had it's own stand. It was elaborately decorated, an antique, and came with a hefty weight. Was she ready? She wouldn't be able to hold it, but if she could orb it over to her side then she'd feel like she'd really achieved something. Her reflection watched her apprehesively as she prepared herself.   
  
"Okay Paige," she told herself, "let's go."  
  
She outstretched her hand with confidence. "Mirror," she said in a commanding tone. Nothing happened. "Mirror," she repeated, her voice remaining strong. "Mirror!" She was beginning to sound urgent. She could feel frustration overcoming her. "Mirror!"   
  
The Paige in the mirror smirked.  
  
Paige withdrew her hand and flung it out again, as if she was throwing something. "Mirror!" She shouted, possessed with rage.  
  
A bright red steaming hot energy ball flew from her hand and slammed into the mirror, shattering it and cracking all the wood. Glass flew everywhere, shards embedded themselves in Paige's flesh and the deafening noise was yet nothing compared to the roaring in Paige's ears.  
  
What had she done? 


	4. Not Again...

No more updates for 5 days... when I get back from "Englum" as kt puts it I better have at least 0.5 reviews.. or will be suitably upset.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Four: Not Again...  
  
  
  
  
  
Phoebe's jaw dropped.  
  
"Piper?" she cried, incredulous.  
  
"I know what it looks like," Piper began, "and I can explain!" There was a pause. "Okay, I can't explain."   
  
Phoebe pulled herself up off her bed. "You just- you just- just... you blinked!"  
  
Both sisters began to panic. Cole shimmered in, standing in a defensive position.  
  
"I sensed something evil was here," he told them, his eyes travelling around the room, searching.  
  
"Oh," Phoebe nodded. She sounded perfectly normal until she spoke again. "Something like an evil power, eh?" She looked pointedly at Piper, whos eyes were pleading.   
  
Cole followed her eyes. "It's Piper..." he said, not quite understanding what Phoebe was talking about.  
  
"Piper with demonic powers Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed.  
  
"Again," Piper whimpered. Cole looked taken aback, his face blanked for a moment as if he didn't quite register it. His whole upper body jerked upright and he turned to look at Piper. This couldn't be happening to them, not again! "Maybe it was just... out of the blue and it'll never happen again?"  
  
Suddenly, a demon shimmered in and threw an energy ball at Cole. He leapt out of the way and it slammed into the wall, leading to a 'pretty' scorch mark on Phoebe's wall. Phoebe yelped and ducked behind the bed. Cole counter-attacked with a barrage of his own expertly-aimed energy balls, and with an agonised cry, the beast was no more.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Piper cried.   
  
"Bounty hunter," Cole muttered. "And I bet there's more to come. You two will be okay, right?"  
  
They nodded. Watching Phoebe with a concerned look on his face, Cole shimmered away.  
  
"Guess we just weren't expecting that," Phoebe sighed, grimly regarding the huge mark on her wall. "I think we should try to find some sort of anti-location spell for Cole for those bounty hunters..." Then she remembered the situation at hand. "But later. After we've dealt with..."  
  
"Piper's newly aquired power," Piper sighed. "What do we do? I don't even know how I did it... I was thinking about you and bam! I was here!"  
  
"Like last time," Phoebe stated, her voice shuddering. "We can't be turning evil again, can we?"  
  
*  
  
First stage: Denial.  
  
*  
  
"Of course not... that's impossible. We've wised up since last time," Piper said in a scolding voice. "Let's just, let's just forget this happened for now and find Paige. We need to get her to, you know..."  
  
Phoebe nodded. Asking Paige to move in to their home would be hard enough. It'd be even tougher to see her take Prue's bedroom, which hadn't been touched since, well, since it happened. Not to mention the added niggling detail that Piper had a demonic power. This was shaping up to be such a great day!  
  
"We could try and blink to her!" Phoebe suggested cheerily.  
  
"No, thank you," Piper replied honestly, "I will be happy never to use that power again."  
  
"Good idea," Phoebe nodded. "I'm sure it's all some sort of... misunderstanding... or something..."  
  
* * *  
  
The Seer's eyes returned to normal. Smirking, she turned around to face her master.  
  
"Well?" The Source pressed. "How are they faring?"  
  
"Not long now," the Seer replied calmly. "Soon the Charmed Ones will find themselves overcome with evil thoughts and be able to do nothing but follow them through. I have foreseen it."  
  
Smiling under his hood, The Source leaned back. "We will not push them," he decided, "It is to my knowledge that they will work best alone."  
  
"You would be correct," she said, and turned away. "They will join us soon."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige stared at her broken mirror, dumbstruck. "Seven years bad luck," she muttered, "maybe more..."  
  
She examined her hand, where the thing had come from. It looked normal. 'How can you be practising orbing things and you throw ball of fire?' she thought incredulously. Surely she wasn't developing new powers already. She didn't want to develop new powers! Or have any to begin with!  
  
It had just been so vicious though. But the main problem was, she'd felt good throwing it. Powerful. She wondered what her capabilities would stretch to over time.  
  
There was a knock at the door.   
  
Not expecting visitors, Paige left the catch on when she opened it. "Go away," she whispered harshly when she saw Piper and Phoebe on the other side of the door. "I don't want to see you guys."  
  
"Let us in Paige," Piper said, her voice determined and commanding. "Or we'll come in by force."  
  
Paige knew this wouldn't be hard for them to do. After all, as far as Paige knew, they were ass-kicking super witches - what couldn't they do? Sighing resignedly, she opened the door. "What do you want?"  
  
Phoebe closed the door behind them. "To talk," she said, "about what's been happening to us."  
  
"What do you mean?" Paige asked.  
  
"Well, it hasn't happened to me so far, but Piper... she... uh, obtained, a new power."   
  
Piper smiled weakly.   
  
"What's wrong with that?" Paige asked, not seeing why something this would provoke them to come crashing into her apartment.  
  
"It's not just any power," Piper began, "it's a warlock power." No effect on Paige. "The last time we got evil powers like these, we uh... we turned, evil."  
  
"Oh," Paige said. There was a pause.  
  
"Has anything happened to you Paige?" Phoebe asked. "It's really important you tell us."  
  
"How did that mirror get smashed?" Piper cut in, looking pointedly at the broken glass on the floor. "Were you attacked?"  
  
Paige glanced at the shattered object. "No, it was me... my powers."  
  
Phoebe and Piper stared at her.  
  
"But as far as we know, your powers aren't aggressive..." Piper said.  
  
"Well one is," Paige replied defensively. "I threw this little... sort of bright flaming ball type thing at it. Smashed it completely... wasn't expecting it though. I haven't used it before."  
  
"That's because you didn't have it before!" Phoebe cried. She looked at Piper. "Energy ball - another demonic power!"  
  
"Oh no," Piper said, her voice showing anger, "Not again." 


	5. One Way Out

Chapter Five: One Way Out  
  
  
  
*  
  
Stage Two: Anger  
  
*  
  
"I'm not going through all that again!" Piper cried, letting anger replace the fear that was in her heart. "Trust the Elders!"  
  
They were marching through the hall of Paige's loft apartment block. Piper pressed the elevator button about as viciously as one could.   
  
"What do you mean about the Elders? What have they got to do with it?" Phoebe questioned.  
  
"And who are they?" Paige injected, but recoiled on the harsh glare from Piper she received.  
  
The elevator doors closed. "Well, when we were told we had twenty-four hours to save Paige from evil, They conveniently 'forgot' that if we failed, Paige would turn evil and take us down with her!"  
  
"I'm not evil-" Paige began to protest, but Piper cut her off.  
  
"Don't you even start," Piper warned, "Face the facts. You have an evil power, I have an evil power, for god's sakes you killed someone! Don't you tell me you're not evil!"  
  
"But I-" Paige could feel her own anger building inside her as Piper once again cut her off before she could speak.  
  
"This is totally your fault! We tried to stop you, we tried to be your friend, we tried to help you understand your destiny but oh no, you had to-"  
  
"Maybe I don't want this destiny!" Paige yelled.   
  
"Maybe we don't want you either! Maybe I want my dead sister to be alive and with us because she wouldn't put us in this sort of danger. She would've protected us and helped us and fought with us - not take the easy way out and make us all retribute for it!"  
  
Paige got an incredibly hurt look on her face, faltered, and orbed out.  
  
At that moment, there was a bell and the elevator doors opened.   
  
"Piper-" Phoebe began. "Don't you think you were a little harsh to Paige-"  
  
"Phoebe? I. Don't. Care." Piper said plainly and pointedly. She took a few steps forwards and blinked out, leaving her sister across town, alone, without the car keys.  
  
* * *  
  
It was two hours later that Phoebe finally arrived home. She trudged up the steps and let herself in. "Hello?" she called. No answer. Piper must still be 'high' on rage.  
  
'Funny that,' she mused to herself, 'how whenever one of us is overreacting or flipping out, the other one stays calm.' Though she was used to the calm one being Piper. Perhaps it was just a middle sister trait, and that's who Phoebe was now. The middle one. She wondered how many of Piper's other characteristics would bestow themselves on her with this new family posistion.   
  
She turned around and let out a little gasp when she almost walked into Cole. "Cole-" she whispered, her voice sounding strange and cut off.  
  
"Phoebe what's going on here?" he asked, concerned. "I've been trying to find ways to help you, but I can't when you're not even together."   
  
"We uh," Phoebe stuttered, then decided to come clean. "We... something's happened. When Paige killed that guy... I think... I think she's turning evil. I think we're, turning evil."  
  
Cole turned to face her, his face serious. "Are you sure?"  
  
Phoebe averted her eyes and sighed. She nodded. "Piper, blinked, earlier - you were there - and Paige, well Paige threw an energy ball. Smashed part of her apartment up." She began to walk through the house and into the kitchen.  
  
"Phoebe this is serious," Cole followed her, trying to get her full attention, "Something huge might be happening here. You have to find Piper and Paige and stay together."  
  
"I know, Cole," she snapped, surprised at her sudden annoyance. "Don't you think I know that? But we had a fight, or, Piper and Paige did," she paused, thinking. "I just wanna be alone."  
  
She turned away from him.   
  
"Phoebe," he said, his voice sounding a little commanding.  
  
"Go away Cole!" Phoebe suddenly yelled at him.  
  
"I want to help!"   
  
"I want to be alone!" she shouted and threw her weight against him, forcing him to stumble away from her to regain his balance. Cole looked hurt as well as angry but obeyed, shimmering out. He had a lot of work ahead of him.  
  
*  
  
Stage three: Fear.  
  
*  
  
Since her argument with Cole, Phoebe had fallen asleep for a few hours. She had awoken with a new point of view on things. She realised how mean she'd been to her boyfriend, and that they truly needed his help.  
  
Phoebe flitted from room to room, looking for any signs of her sisters.  
  
"Piper?" she called. "Leo?"  
  
Leo orbed in looking incredibly concerned. "Phoebe?"  
  
She spun around to greet him. "Oh thank God, you're here!" she cried and flung her arms around his shoulders, relieved and grateful for his presence.  
  
Piper then entered from the living room. "Get your own husband," she growled.  
  
Phoebe let go of Leo quickly, and watched as Piper walked up to him and pulled him in for a long, elaborate kiss. When she finally broke away, Piper's eyes were on Phoebe, victorious, claiming Leo as part of her possessions.  
  
"Piper," Leo said, a little breathless. "We have to talk. Phoebe too... and Paige."  
  
"Wait," Phoebe said, "Piper how did you get here? I checked all the rooms..."  
  
Piper made a strange noise which said 'you know how I got here'. Aloud, she said "My spidey sense was tingling." Once again, Piper must've made full use of an evil power. She was getting way too accustomed to that.  
  
"I know what's happening to you guys," Leo told them, "and you have to fight it."  
  
Piper snapped her fingers. "Done," she announced, her voice cheerful.  
  
"Piper," he pleaded, "Listen to me. We're in a mess - The Elders were hoping you'd get to Paige in time and this wouldn't have happened-"  
  
"Excuse me," Piper said viciously, affronted, "we're not the ones who couldn't orb Paige out in the first place! It's not hard, Leo!"  
  
Leo looked down. He was truly ashamed of what had happened. When he thought about it, it enveloped him. He'd failed his charges - he'd failed The Elders! Was it all his fault that the Charmed Ones would demise?   
  
"Look, there's no easy way for me to say this," he began timidly. He could see Phoebe was already frightened, and the tone of his voice was bringing his wife to a more receptive mood too. "They didn't know that, that if Paige turned evil then you would follow... They didn't know this was going to happen."  
  
There was a silence as Piper and Phoebe waited for Leo to continue, but he didn't.   
  
"What're you saying, Leo?" Piper asked reproachfully, her eyes wide. "That there's no way out of this? That that's it? That's - that's the end of the Charmed Ones?"  
  
He looked at her with tearful eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered.   
  
"No," Phoebe said, "No, no, no. No way. Not after three years are we going down now. We have come so far and lost too much to be just..." Her voice was becoming thick with trying to hold back the tears, but it was impossible. "... abandoned like this... I don't wanna be evil Leo! I don't want to lose even more than what I have!" Tears fell from her eyes, tracking her cheeks.  
  
Piper was silent throughout. But when she spoke, it was determined. "No. There's gotta be a way out of this. A spell, or, something..." she began to ramble on, her mind racing as how they could get themselves out of this mess.  
  
"There is one, thing," Leo said. His face looked completely regretful.  
  
"What?" Phoebe urged, "Tell us, we'll do it."  
  
He looked at her sadly. "The only way to stop yourselves becoming evil is to... to say the spell..."  
  
"What one?" Piper asked, readying herself to hit the Book of Shadows.  
  
Leo's face was stony. Looking at him, Piper realised whatever he had to say, it wasn't easy. Slowly, Leo's eyes connected with hers and he spoke softly. "The spell to relinquish your powers."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Who saw that one coming??? *wonders if everybody did* Maybe I'm not good at that whole surprise thang.  
A/N: Once again, thank you for the reviews. I feed on them. Go on... make me fat. 


	6. Farewell Charmed Ones

A/N: I hope this doesn't get confusing... but the general message is passed on okay!  
  
  
  
Chapter Six: Farewell Charmed Ones  
  
  
  
  
The three solemn sisters stood in the attic. It had been a long day since Leo left them to make their decision. Much discussion had gone on, amongst other things. And since their transfer to the side of evil was pretty much irreversible, the only to get out, to save innocents, to save themselves, was to say the spell to relinquish their powers.  
  
Paige had fought most strongly against the idea, which was surprising since she'd told them countless times she didn't want to be a witch. Maybe it was because she hadn't had as long a run as they had. They'd all fought against it, of course they had! But in the end their morality won. They couldn't keep their powers if they were going to be using them for evil!   
  
They'd already gone through a phase of almost bargaining with Leo to get The Elders to do something about it, a stage Phoebe recognised as the fourth stage of receiving a heavy shock - thanks to her Psychology class she'd taken years before. They offered him everything - Piper had even offered him sexual favours until he exploded (something Leo turned down somewhat reluctantly)! But all was in vain, for there was nothing Leo, or the Elders, could do.  
  
And now they were in the fifth and final stage - acceptance. Paige had been brought back via 'Leo Airways', told the situation, and they'd gone from there.  
  
The scary thing was dark thoughts had already began to cross Piper's mind. Not big things, just little ideas of how to amuse herself. Practical jokes were a big one. She had thought about pulling stunts like freezing parts of people and seeing how they reacted. Her worst thought so far had been 'it'd be so funny if I froze someone and moved them in front of a bus.' She'd caught herself thinking this, however, and knew there and then that her powers had to go.  
  
For Phoebe, it was as hard admitting to herself that she could feel herself changing as it would be to others. She knew she felt it, but she couldn't bring herself to confront it, not even in her thoughts. She didn't want to not be a Charmed One anymore. Hadn't they lost enough already? First their sister, and a matter of months later, their powers.   
  
"Are we really gonna do this?" she asked, her voice shaking as she stared at the floor. The Book of Shadows was useless - they'd destroyed the spell years ago. But it was embedded in Piper and Phoebe's minds.  
  
"There's nothing else to do," Piper replied and stepped forward. "We have to."  
  
Paige's heart leapt to her throat. She had to stop this! But how? They wouldn't listen to her though... deep down she knew that what they were doing was right, but she couldn't help feeling she had to protect her powers. The Charmed Ones were not meant to die, not now.   
  
"Wait," she protested, a sudden idea hitting her. "What about The Source? What about all the, demons and warlocks who're after you - us... as soon as we do this, do you realise how helpless we'll be?"  
  
Mouth slightly open, Piper thought of a way to contend with this. "Well," she said, "Um, I dunno... maybe once we become normal again we'll be taken off the evil radar? I mean, Leo wouldn't have suggested it if he didn't know it was safe, right?"  
  
What else could they believe?   
  
Looking down sadly, Paige accepted this. Subtley, her lips began to move, silently reciting a spell. She was panicked, she was scared. And she was begging for this to work.   
  
But she didn't even know she was doing it.  
  
In the awkward silence that enveloped them, Paige managed to repeat the new spell thrice. Both Piper and Phoebe saw her lips moving, and at the back of their minds they knew what she was doing. But something made them stay silent. It was a deep hope embedded in their thoughts that Paige might succeed and stop this. They didn't notice that their lips were oving too, chanting silently the same spell Paige was.  
  
Taking in a shuddering breath, Piper faced her sisters. "Let's do it."  
  
She held out her hands for them to take, to join them. Phoebe took her hand and thrust out her other one for Paige to grasp. Paige looked on, tryng to forget what was happening. But she could feel her sisters watch her expectantly.  
  
"Paige, we have to," Piper pleaded, wishing it was just over.  
  
Grudgingly, Paige pressed her hands into theirs. Piper smiled wanely at her, her eyes shiny with tears. Phoebe sniffed.   
  
"Ready?" she whispered.  
  
No one spoke. They simply stood, hand in hand, staring at the ground, in silence. Nobody wanted to start it.  
  
Piper forced herself to be strong. "From whence they came, return them now," her voice was already begininning to crack. "Vanish the words, vanish our powers." It was as if she was uttering some sort of sexist, racist, ageist, anything that was socially unacceptable rhyme. Whatever it was, it felt wrong.  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath and her voice joined Piper's. "From whence they came, return them now. Vanish the words, vanish our powers." Her eyes were streaming. "Come on Paige," she muttered weakly, glancing at the stony face of her new sister. A sister she was probably going to lose as soon as she'd been found.  
  
There was a long pause where they readied themselves. Piper looked at Paige, who was staring back at her. Phoebe glanced up too. They apologised to each other with thier eyes. Paige nodded. She was ready.  
  
"From whence they came, return them now," Piper and Phoebe were sobbing their words out. Paige could feal tears travelling down her cheeks, and her voice began to quiver. "Vanish the words, vanish our powers."  
  
It was done. The three of them felt themselves physically weaken as their powers left their bodies. Then a feeling of emptiness.  
  
"Oh, God!" Phoebe cried and buried her head in Piper's shoulders. They clutched at each other, shaking weakly in their horror and misery.   
  
Piper saw Paige standing alone and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the embrace. At first Paige felt tense, then she relaxed into it and curled her arms around her sisters, sobbing and crying.  
  
The first one to pull away was Phoebe, and she picked up a book from one of the old tables. Looking meaningfully at Piper, she dropped it.  
  
Piper flicked her hands up, intending to freeze the book. Blow it up. Do anything to it, as long as it was something! But it thudded to the floor, the noise loud and booming. She looked down, a feeling of uselessness coming over her.   
  
"I can't," she said sadly, "I can't freeze." She sniffed and padded over to the podium where the Book of Shadows rested. This was the worst part.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she lifted the cover open. The first page was blank. So was the next. And the next. Flicking through the Book, every page she looked upon was the same yellowed emptiness. Except for the splashes of water which were falling from her eyes and onto the pages. All the history, all the knowledge, generations of Halliwell witchcraft, was now erased. Forever. The line of witches had ended with them. They'd failed their ancestors, pure and simple. The Charmed Ones, they were gone.  
  
Paige bit her lip anxiously as she watched Piper. Neither she nor Phoebe could see the pages of the Book. They awaited Piper's verdict. She wouldn't know if her spells had worked until the time came. Not like she even knew she'd cast them.  
  
It was as if she'd been possessed! Piper and Phoebe too. Only mere hours ago had they frantically performed magic rites of old and spells to protect themselves. They'd known the ritual, known the words... they'd even known the phase of the moon! Paige as High Priestess of the ritual, chanting and working ancient magic which simply sprang forth into her mind as if it was common knowledge she'd been familiar with since birth. Not that she knew it now - she couldn't remember doing it. Banished from her memories had been the bloodied, frenzied magic she had worked. Banished from Piper and Phoebe's memories also. Phoebe had cast the cloaking spell so The Elders wouldn't see.   
  
Even the all-seeing 'Them', at this moment, had no idea any of it had happened.  
  
Nobody knew. Not even the people who'd cast it...  
  
"It's blank," Piper said finally. "Everything is gone."  
  
Solemnly, Phoebe and Paige joined her sides.   
  
"The Charmed Ones are dead," Piper concluded sadly. 


	7. A Welcome Return. Well, Mostly Welcome.

A/N: As you might have already guessed, not that last chapter was not the last one. This one is! Or is it...? Thanks for the reviews!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven: A Welcome Return. Well, Mostly Welcome.  
  
  
Piper hummed along to the tune in her head as she pulled the tray out of the oven. It had been ages since she'd cooked anything, and she was worried she was beginning to lose her touch. Of course, she now had plenty of time to practise what with being 'mortal' again.  
  
It felt so weird, not having to worry about being attacked at all hours of the day. But she was still remorseful that she wouldn't really get to do any innocent saving. Still, she had to admit the rest was great! She'd really needed a break. Though not a permanent one...  
  
The tray of muffins clattered to the floor in her shock when she turned around and saw someone.   
  
Prue. And she was standing opposite her.   
  
She wasn't a ghost either.  
  
"Damn, I wanted one of those," Prue said, looking down at the wasted muffins then smirking at the shocked look on her sister's face. "Come on girl, if you go any whiter you'll look like that new sister of yours!"  
  
The oven gloves on Piper's hands flopped to the floor too. Prue rolled her eyes. It was taking a while for Piper to say something. To occupy herself, Prue grabbed one of the muffins from the previous batches and broke a piece off. "Mmm, this is good," she struggled to say, her mouth full.  
  
Piper continued to gape at Prue. It was getting a little annoying now.  
  
"Piper, talk to me!" Prue said. "Hello? It's me - Prue. Your dead sister. Here. You don't have anything you wanna say?"  
  
Her hand clutching at her chest, Piper found her tongue. "Prue? Is that... really you?" Tears were tracking down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails on her face.  
  
Prue nodded, suddenly feeling the tenderness of the situation spreading over her. "Yeah," she whispered, "it is."  
  
Piper still didn't react. She stood and stared. Prue didn't know what to do! Her sister was probably having an embolism or something, and she was just standing there! However, it would be a good opportunity to use her healing powers...  
  
She wondered where Phoebe was, and decided to take a look - using her location powers of course! Cautiously, Prue took several steps to Piper's side and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Then she felt Piper return the action, gripping on to her hand tightly.   
  
Sniffing, Prue twisted her body and wrapped her arms around Piper's shoulders. Finally, after all her begging to The Elders to visit her sisters, they were together again. She pressed her lips together to suppress the tears when she felt Piper's arms curl around her back, returning the embrace.  
  
Smiling tearfully over Piper's shoulder, Prue orbed them both out.  
  
*  
  
In Phoebe's bedroom, Phoebe and Paige were looking at the now useless Book of Shadows. The aged and yellow pages were now full of... nothing. The entire Book was blank. It was a sad thing to look at now, for only nine days before it had possessed so much knowledge, so much power. And now it was simply another object.  
  
They both yelped at Piper's sudden arrival. Piper stumbled out of the orb before it had fully formed, showing Paige and Phoebe that there was someone else too. The tiny blue orbs arranged themselves not into Leo, who they expected, but into Prue.   
  
Phoebe's jaw fell open.  
  
Prue composed herself. She still wasn't brilliant at the whole orbing thing, but she was learning fast. She stared at them all, Phoebe and Paige sitting on Phoebe's bed, gaping at her. Piper standing a few feet away, also watching.  
  
"Hey," she whispered. She felt her eyes well up. It'd been a good few months since she'd last seen her sisters, and it seemed like it had been even longer now she was with them again.  
  
Phoebe was the first to let her emotion overcome her. "Prue," she uttered, and leapt off the bed, enveloping her big sister in a huge hug. Then the tears came. Phoebe had thought she was over the tears - recent events hadn't given her enough time to give it much thought. Sure she frequently cast her mind back to when Prue was alive, when they were...  
  
"Hey honey," Prue was saying to her, her voice high and trembling. "I missed you."  
  
At hearing these words, Piper melted. "Oh, god," she cried, and joined in on the hug. The three of them felt an electric shiver travel through them.  
  
But Paige actually saw it.   
  
She sat on the bed, watching, trying not to let her jealousy become apparent to them. But she couldn't help lodging a firm dislike for her 'dear' sister Prue. It was obvious who Piper and Phoebe loved more. Paige felt anger beginning to build up inside her. How dare she just return like this? She could muck everything up!  
  
As soon as she'd taken that idiot's life, Paige knew the Charmed Ones were destined for great things. Evil. Prue could not get in the way of it all.  
  
Paige's faced changed. What was she thinking? The Charmed Ones were not destined for evil - they weren't destined for anything! They were the past, gone, dead. The Charmed Ones were no more.  
  
Prue broke the hug first, and all of their faces were red and tear-streaked. She had felt a shiver travelling through her body from the embrace she had shared with her sisters. She didn't know what it meant, but she sure as hell hoped it was good.  
  
There was a pause, then Prue's eyes rested on the youngest Halliwell sister. Phoebe saw this, and decided to do the introduction.  
  
"This is Paige," Phoebe said, smiling warmly at her younger sister. "She's been doing great-"  
  
"Has she?" Prue said coldly, her voice spiteful. As much love as she felt at that moment, it couldn't quell the feeling she got when she looked at Paige. "She killed someone." 'She destroyed the Charmed Ones,' she added in her head. Were some things best not said aloud?  
  
Paige lowered her eyes. But she knew she was faking shame, and regret - it seemed this was the only way for the future to happen - to pretend she cared. Really she was glad. She almost relished the memory of feeling his heart try to squeeze it's way out of his body. How did none of the others see that the Charmed Ones were meant to be different? Paige wasn't even sure how she knew this, but somehow the idea was planted firmly in her mind. She shook herself mentally, shocked once again at the strange thoughts embedded in her head.   
  
Phoebe sighed. "We're working around it. On the bright side, she's not evil!"  
  
"It's not like she could be," Prue said sadly.  
  
Piper had to change the subject off their newfound helplessness. She grinned, forcedly. "So you were orbing - are you a whitelighter?"  
  
Prue's reaction made them forget the unhappiness. "It's amazing," she told them, "It's the most fulfilling and... amazing thing I've ever done. I can heal people!" she was almost crying with joy! "I mean, it's weird not having my old powers anymore, but... listen. I don't want you guys to worry about me anymore - I'm happy."  
  
"Wow," Phoebe said, "Can we be one- three of your charges? Please?"  
  
Prue laughed. "And where would Leo go?"  
  
"Hey," Piper scolded playfully, "I'm sorry, but Leo stays."  
  
"Well we could have two whitelighters - I mean there is three of us. We need the protection." Phoebe said, half seriously.  
  
Then they all remembered - they weren't witches anymore. They didn't need whitelighters, they had no reason to be protected. A heavy silence came over the room.  
  
"You did the right thing," Prue said softly.  
  
"I just..." Piper choked out, "Just, why couldn't we have become normal three months ago - when you were here? Things would've been so different..."  
  
Prue placed a reassuring hand on Piper's shoulder. "But they're not. Things happen for a reason Piper... maybe Paige isn't supposed to go through the same things we did."  
  
Paige, who was still sitting awkwardly on the bed glared at Prue loathingly. But Prue didn't see it.   
  
"You'll get through it," Prue told them, "You two have done amazing things in your lives. And now, maybe... maybe this is fate's way of giving you a break."  
  
"Why now?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Prue smiled wanly at her. "I'm being called," she said. "I'll come back to check up on you guys - I promise. And I swear you'll get through this. You may not have powers, but you have each other." She looked at Paige. "Welcome to the family Paige," she said, "You're gonna get the best part of being a Halliwell - hanging out with these guys."  
  
She took several steps back. "Goodbye. I love you." Then she orbed out.  
  
The three who remained watched the place where Prue had stood. Sobbing, Piper sank into Phoebe's arms. Phoebe hugged her back warmly. Prue had actually made her feel joy for the first time since she left them. The Charmed Ones might have been gone, but it pleased Phoebe so much to know that at least Prue was still helping people. Perhaps Prue was what was left of The Charmed Ones - carrying on their duties when the living ones couldn't. She'd always been the strongest one.  
  
"Where's my hug?" said Paige from behind them. Piper glanced up at her youngest sister, and knew she was glad Paige had decided to stick around. She wanted to find out about her heritage and ancestors - who she really was. Although she was still Paige Matthews, she was really Paige Halliwell. Part of what had been the strongest family in the world. At least she had the honour of being part of it for a while, anyway.   
  
And besides, it didn't take magical powers to get to know a sister.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The End  
  
  
By the way, it's not really the end. There is a lot, lot, lot more to come.   
  
... Oh I crack myself up. 


	8. Still Charmed?

A/N: Guess who learned that spell check is sometimes good?  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight: Still Charmed?  
  
  
  
  
Leo poked his head into the kitchen. "How'd it go?" he asked, smiling.  
  
Piper dashed over to him and wrapped him in a huge hug. "Oh Leo, Prue - she, she was here and-"  
  
"I know, I know sweetie," he laughed, letting go of her gently. "What did you think I was asking about?" Leo looked at his wife, for the first time his heart not filling with sadness. Whenever Piper was upset, he was too. And she was depressed a lot since revoking her powers. But right now, she was as happy as could be!  
  
Phoebe stepped forward. "Wait a minute... you knew Prue was a whitelighter?" she questioned, one hand anxiously twisting a strand of hair around the fingers. He nodded. Almost immediately, Phoebe's expression changed to an angered one. "You knew? You knew all along?"  
  
"Leo!" Piper glared. "How could you keep this from us? You know how much it hurt us and how sad we were..." She took several steps away from him. For some reason, she felt betrayed by him. How could he have kept it from them? He had the cure for all their heartache about Prue in his hand and... nothing.   
  
Shoulders sagging, Leo wondered why it always seemed like he could never win with the Halliwells. Paige was the only one who seemed not too bothered about him not telling them Prue was a whitelighter. "I couldn't," he started. "Prue, Prue herself told me she didn't want you guys to know. She wanted to surprise you, tell her yourself. You know Prue."  
  
Piper's expression softened, then she smiled slightly. "Yeah, I do," she said quietly, a stray thought wondering why she'd been so quick to anger. "Oh god I missed her so much." Her eyes were glistening with tears.   
  
Leo bent to kiss her. "I gotta go," he muttered. "You okay?" On Piper's nod, he was gone.  
  
Paige pursed her lips. She ran a hand through Piper's hair gently, watching intently her sister's face. "Well you don't have to worry any more Piper," she said. "Looks like she's back." Paige couldn't have struggled more to keep the pain in her voice hidden, but she was so afraid of being rejected by Piper and Phoebe it was still evident when she spoke. And Piper picked up on it.  
  
Turning to face Paige, she spoke honestly. "Paige, I am so glad we found you. You mean so much to me... even though we got off to a bad start, understand I will never regret having met you and having you in my life."  
  
The littlest Halliwell's face was beginning to crumple, but she managed to regain her composure. She'd rarely felt so much love for someone as she did for her new sisters. She realised what Piper had said was exactly the way she felt about them too. Smiling gratefully, she nodded. "Me too."  
  
Phoebe was feeling left out in the 'sister moment'. "Me three!" she declared, and decided a group hug was in order. It took Paige by surprise, causing her to almost spill her coffee. She still wasn't used to the amount of hugs given out in this house! But she relaxed into it, feeling comforted being held in Piper and Phoebe's arms.   
  
Then it happened. If the late Charmed Ones had happened to be standing by a mirror, they would've seen it. A black flash would've flitted over the trio's reflection, lasting only a split second, but still noticeable.  
  
It would have shocked them into calling for Leo, and would lead to them finding out they were still 'Charmed'. They still had their powers and at the right time, they would be reactivated, awakened.  
  
The spells cast to create this situation had worked.   
  
But Paige, Piper and Phoebe still had no idea they had cast them.  
  
There had been two: one which made their powers inactive - not their spell casting abilities, but just their individual powers. The second spell had been cast by each sister just before they relinquished their powers. The second spell was a counter-spell, which worked against the next spell they would cast and rendered it useless.  
  
So therefore, they had effectively temporarily disabled their powers and cast a relinquish powers spell which hadn't worked. These two spells had managed to trick everybody into thinking they were no longer magical - even the girls themselves!  
  
Of course, they would find out in due time. When they were ready to accept what they were becoming. When they were so ready to accept it that nothing would stand in their way. Not Leo, not The Elders, and especially not Prue.  
  
Not even themselves.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dun dun dunnnnn.  
  
Uh oh! Badness ahoy! Don't worry kids, the next chapter is so long and full of 'excitement' that you might die from it. Oh yes, it's just that crazy. 


	9. It Is Time

A/N: This chapter's pretty fast-paced, but it's supposed to be. It might seem like BAM! One minute they're one thing, and the next they're another. But you all know how quickly this usually happens hee!  
A/N: Yeah especially the part where Piper and Paige are having their bonding session hehe. It's a lot to take in, but you know how fast this thing takes over.  
A/N: For the sake of giving it a gender, I made Kit male.  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine: It Is Time  
  
  
  
  
Two weeks had passed since Prue's visit. She hadn't been back, but had sent several messages to them via Leo. They were usually the sentimental I love yous but once or twice Leo'd passed on information about Prue's charge - a magical witch by the name of Stephen. He was shaping up to be a powerful one.   
  
"And? Does Prue, you know, like him?" Phoebe asked enthusiastically, wishing she was snuggling into Cole's chest as he held her warmly from behind. God it'd been ages since she'd seen him.   
  
Leo laughed. "Is that all you ever think about?" he teased. Phoebe turned up her nose jokingly and punched him lightly on the arm. "I have no idea," he told her, "but you know, these things happen!"  
  
Phoebe giggled. "And don't we know it! Do you think Prue will have to go through the same fiasco you and Piper went through?"   
  
"Phoebe, we don't even know if anything is going on with them!" Leo said. "And probably not. The Elders seem to favour her a lot."  
  
"Wow! Prue's like, Elder's Pet!"  
  
"Something like that, yeah," Leo grinned. The talk of whitelighters and witches got his thoughts directed onto his own significant other. He would go and see her, but he didn't want to interrupt her bonding session with Paige. As he thought about this, a burst of laughter resounded from the kitchen where they were baking together. He smiled, wondering what they were talking about.  
  
*  
  
"Wouldn't it be funny to just stick this in someone?" Paige giggled as she toyed with the sharp knife before viciously jabbing at the air with it. She punctuated each jab with a sharp "Bam!" for good measure.  
  
Piper screeched in laughter. "Paige! You are so wrong!" she cried, but finding the idea of randomly stabbing a stranger amusing nonetheless.  
  
"Oh Kit," Paige grinned evilly at the small cat sitting placidly in the corner of the room. She brandished the knife and advanced threateningly.  
  
The cat glanced up at her, and instantly his fur stood on end, and he arched his back. With an unfriendly hiss, Kit scampered away. Paige turned to Piper, baffled.  
  
"Think he knew I was only joking?"   
  
"Paige, even I wasn't sure you were only joking!" Piper replied, attempting to ignore the thought that was pushing its way into her mind. Eventually she had to speak. "How hard do you think it'd be to rob a store?"  
  
Paige paused, knife still in hand. "Why? Are we low on funds?"  
  
"No, I uh, just kinda thought it'd be fun..." Piper said.  
  
"You know what'd be more fun to rob?" Paige told her, "A hospital's organ doner department. Like take all the donations and stuff-"  
  
"Paige!" Piper was incredulous. Paige wondered if she'd gone too far, but the thought of stealing organs to deny people the chance of life just popped into her head. Piper's face softened. "That's brilliant!" They began to laugh.   
  
"I'll get my looting hat," Paige joked, thinking about how cool it would be if she actually possessed said hat.  
  
Attention was suddenly directed swiftly to the oven at Paige's notice, which was now emitting a cloud of dark smoke.  
  
"Oh! Oh my god! Oh!" Piper cried, jerking the heavy oven door open. Even more smoke spewed out and into her face, instigating a coughing fit. The smoke detector went off, high-pitched beeping filling the air. Paige grabbed the nearest object - a newspaper - and started waving it furiously at the smoke detector, dispersing the smoke from around it while managing to drop half of the paper all over the floor. After a few seconds, the harsh squealing ceased and Paige turned to check on her sister.  
  
Piper dropped the baking tray onto the counter with a clatter. The black mess on the tray smelt awful.   
  
"At least the crust will be nice and crunchy," Paige commented with a shrug. They forgot about the conversation they'd been having as they stared helplessly at the burnt bread.  
  
Phoebe and Leo both rushed in, regarding the messy room with some interest. "We heard the alarm," Phoebe informed them, her eyes on the pages of newspaper scattered on the floor.  
  
"Who didn't?" Piper replied. "That thing could wake the dead!"  
  
"And you'll never have to worry about a fire starting when you're asleep or something and you not being warned," Leo said, always managing to find the good in each situation. He cupped Piper's cheek in his hand and smiled.  
  
Piper almost literally bit his fingers off. She didn't know why, but something inside her head almost made her do it. She stopped herself from reacting, wondering why she'd had this thought. Besides - there were a lot better things to bite off than a measly finger! She smirked to herself.  
  
"That's odd..." Leo said, taking his hand away and glancing at the ceiling.  
  
"What is it sweetie?" Piper asked innocently, wondering if he'd known what she'd been thinking and cautiously removed his hand. It was probably a good thing too, because the idea was sounding more and more attractive as she thought about it. It would've been funny. Her eyes glanced over to Paige, who was pouring herself a glass of orange juice.  
  
Leo was still looking above. "I'm being called-"  
  
"So what else is new?" Phoebe cut in. "That's all you ever do."  
  
What Phoebe'd said was potentially a harsh thing to say, but Leo was too caught up in his own thoughts. "Not by The Elders," he informed them, "I think it's Prue."  
  
"So go," Piper said leisurely, "Though I don't see why she can't get off her lazy ass and come here." It didn't come out as a joke. And she hadn't intended it to.  
  
With a confused look at his wife, Leo orbed out.  
  
"That was bitchy," Phoebe commented.  
  
"And you saying all Leo ever does is get called wasn't?" Piper replied coolly. "You know what? If you ever need an organ transplant I'm gonna rob the hospital."  
  
Paige choked on her orange juice. Spluttering and coughing, she began to laugh.  
  
Phoebe had no idea what they were both giggling about. She had a sudden urge to take the sharp knife resting on the table and use it on someone. How fun it would be to just stick it into a stranger then run away laughing. She smiled at the thought.  
  
"Well," Piper announced, "I'm heading on over to P3. I'm late enough as it is."  
  
"I'll give you a lift," Paige said.  
  
Piper looked at her in disdain. No offence to Paige, but that Volkswagon Beetle wasn't exactly in Piper's top ten cars she'd like to be seen in - especially in that colour! "It's okay..." Piper said.  
  
"No, I meant I'll orb you there," Paige laughed.  
  
Piper and Phoebe stared at her silently.  
  
Paige stared back for a moment, then she remembered. "Oh," she muttered, "I can't." She'd forgotten all about them being mortal now.  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"It's okay Paige, we all make mistakes," Piper told her, brushing her hair behind her ears with her fingers. There was another small pause. "So who's coming to P3?"  
  
Paige nodded enthusiastically, desperate to escape the awkwardness.  
  
"I am, and I call shotgun," Phoebe said quickly.  
  
Paige batted her on the arm playfully, feeling more at ease already. "Now that, my friend stroke sister, is all you ever do!"  
  
* * *  
  
Piper pursed her lips and looked for an opening. The roads were unusually busy for the time of night. Phoebe leaned back in her seat beside her, and Paige was staring out the window in the back seat. As soon as a gap came along, Piper swung the Cherokee round the corner and they were back in action.  
  
"Wonder if I'll see Cole tonight," Phoebe mused. "He hasn't been around for ages... last time I saw him I yelled at him, and that was nearly a month ago."  
  
They stopped at a pedestrian crossing. A woman was pushing a baby in a pushchair carefully. Piper revved the motor, startling the woman who as a result quickened her pace. Phoebe and Paige laughed raucously. All three pairs of the Halliwell's eyes followed the woman's movements. All three Halliwells were thinking the same thing - how good it would feel to ram the car into that pushchair.   
  
She knew it was an atrocious thing to think, but it was almost too much for Piper, she nearly threw the car into gear and went for it right then. But of course she was held back by her conscience, that little thing which told her what was right and wrong. And murdering babies was wrong, no matter how much they cried.  
  
Blinking, Piper shook it out of her mind. What was she thinking?   
  
Paige and Phoebe did similar things, too shocked at themselves, and knowing that it was very likely they would never speak of the thoughts that had just crossed their minds. It wasn't right.  
  
Finally they were in P3. Piper worked behind the bar, exchanging friendly conversation with the staff and several patrons sitting at the bar. Phoebe sat beside her, constantly glancing towards the entrance searching for any signs of Cole. So far there'd been nothing.   
  
Paige was the only Halliwell on the dance floor. Enjoying herself, she caught the eye of a man across the floor. He was standing with a group of other men who were all dancing conservatively. He was good looking, and had a great smile as Paige found out when he grinned at her shyly. Smirking, she winked at him and beckoned to him. He walked over.  
  
"Hey I'm Benett-"  
  
She cut him off but leaning right up to his head and whispering sexily into his ear "Meet me outside in five." He stared at her, not believing his luck. Pouting at him, Paige floated away, back to the bar. She could feel him watching her, his eyes on her half exposed back.  
  
"Who was that?" Piper asked smiling.   
  
Paige shrugged. "Just some guy... great smile," she grinned.  
  
"Cole," Phoebe muttered, taking Paige and Piper's attention. She was looking excitedly at the door, and following her eyes, Paige and Piper saw him swagger slightly down the stairs, dressed sharply in a very dark brown suit. He saw them and made his way over. "I'm sorry I yelled," Phoebe told him straightaway.  
  
"That's okay Phoebe," he replied. "The reason I haven't been around was... well, I thought you might need some alone time together after, you know."  
  
Phoebe's eyes widened. "What, you mean you know? Does The Source know?" Fear flew into her heart at the thought that The Source would know of the Charmed Ones' downfall. They would be helpless against most of his minions now.  
  
Cole shook his head. "I don't exactly know how... I mean, he should know... but it seems nobody down there does." He kissed her lips softly. He was lying but he didn't know it.  
  
"Looks like this is my cue to jet," Paige announced, her eyes on another part of the room.  
  
"Where're you going?" Piper asked.  
  
Paige stood up and smiled at her. "Remember what we were talking about earlier with the knife? I think I might put it into action." She walked briskly away.  
  
"Paige wait! Are you serious?" Piper yelled after her. "Paige!" But she was gone. Piper sighed, and waited nervously to see if Paige would come back.  
  
*  
  
"I can't believe this is happening," said Benett as he pulled Paige in for a long kiss. "You're really sexy."  
  
She shoved him carelessly up against the wall of the dark alleyway, not really giving a damn if she hurt him. Pausing, she stood in front of him as he watched her ravenously. Then she pounced forward and kissed him roughly, her tongue exploring his mouth. She quickly manoevered their bodies so she was standing against the wall, him pressing up against her.  
  
*  
  
"Did you two see where Paige went?" Piper asked Cole and Phoebe. However, they were too engrossed in paying attention to each other, and all she got in response was Phoebe waving her hand at her dismissively. "Fine," Piper muttered, "I'll find her myself." Leaving the bar work to the other staff and making her way across the dance floor, she headed towards the back door.  
  
*  
  
Benett began to undo the zip of his pants, and that's when Paige made her move. She bent down to her leather knee-high boots and pulled out the switchblade she'd concealed down her leg.  
  
"What the fuck!" Benett yelled on seeing it.  
  
She slashed at him ferociously, slicing into his arm. He cried out and gripped the cut. Paige had never felt more alive! The blood thirst took over her and she raised the blade again.  
  
"Paige!" Piper screamed when she exitted P3 and found her sister attacking one of her locals. She lowered her voice. "What're you playing at?" she asked while looking at the knife in Paige's hand hungrily.  
  
"Oh thank god," the man cried at her arrival. "She's, she's crazy!"  
  
Piper glared at him, annoyed. Then she turned to Paige. "Give me the knife."  
  
Looking down, ashamed, Paige handed it over. She raised her eyes to meet Piper's, and saw a dark shadow flash over them. She bit her lower lip in anticipation.  
  
Piper faced Benett, who thought he was safe now that the club owner had come to sort things out. "Why should she get all the fun?" she smirked, and hungrily jammed the knife into his shoulder. He screamed in pain.  
  
"Woah," Paige commented, feeling a rush of excitement as the man screamed in agony. "Piper you sure know how to add a good twist!"  
  
Benett lurched towards Piper and pushed her heavily into Paige. They both stumbled backwards into the wall while he made his escape. "I'm calling the cops, and my lawyer!" he yelled over his shoulder.  
  
As a force of instict, Piper forgot she didn't have her powers and acted as though she did. Flicking her hands up, she realised nothing would happen a split-second before it did: he froze, his cellphone halfway up to his ear. Both Piper and Paige gaped.  
  
At that moment, Phoebe joined them, wanting to know what was going on.  
  
"What the hel- oh my god..." Phoebe was staring at the man. "Piper you used your power!"  
  
"So I see..." Piper said, and the three of them broke into a run to reach his side.   
  
Examining him, Phoebe was shocked when she found the stab wounds. "What happened to him?"  
  
Paige and Piper looked at each other, wondering if Phoebe was in on the game. "He, uh, got stabbed," Paige tried.  
  
"I can see that," Phoebe scolded. "By who?" The awkward silence was enough to give her an answer. "It was you guys, wasn't it?" she asked. Paige looked at the ground nervously and Piper made the tiniest of nods. "Oh my god!" Phoebe cried, "I knew I couldn't be the only one who was getting all these strange urges to do crazy stuff like this... you guys get them too... don't you?"  
  
Paige breathed a huge sigh of relief. Phoebe was on their side.  
  
"What're we gonna do with Mr I'll call my lawyer?" Piper asked, still surprised she had her power but nonetheless hugely joyful.  
  
"Aren't you gonna finish the job?" Phoebe grinned, then hinted. "If you've got your freezing power, I know another one you have that'd be just perfect."  
  
"And I know I love the way you think," Piper replied. She glanced at Paige, as if for approval, and received a nod of encouragement. Readying herself, she flicked up her wrists and activated her power. The man exploded without so much as a scream. Of course, he had been frozen too.   
  
"Get the evidence," Phoebe said logically.  
  
Paige saw the knife lying on the ground several feet away. She began to walk towards it but Phoebe pulled her back.  
  
"Give it a try," Phoebe told her.  
  
Nodding, Paige breathed in and steadied her nerves. Excitement was running high. She held her hand out and said "Knife," in a commanding tone. And to her surprise and pleasure the knife disappeared into little blue orbs and reappeared in her hand. Holding it up like a trophy, she grinned proudly.  
  
Exhilarated and breathing heavily, Piper looked at her sisters. "Looks like we're back in business." 


	10. Accepting and Rejecting

Chapter Ten: Accepting and Rejecting  
  
  
  
Seconds later, Leo appeared. His eyes fell on the three girls, knife still held proudly in Paige's hand, breathless grins on their faces. They'd done it. They'd actually killed someone. How had this happened? How did he let this happen?  
  
"What have you done?" he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. Shock. Disbelief.  
  
Piper raised an eyebrow. What was he looking so defeated about? Something momentous had happened! Something magnificent! "We're Charmed. Again!" Piper giggled at the phrase which she'd heard once before.  
  
"No you're not," Leo told her sadly. His wife. She was so beautiful. Why? Why her? Why him? Life was the cruellest thing he knew. Sometimes it gave the greatest gifts, the happiest times, the most special moments. He had married this woman, perhaps the greatest thing to ever have happened to him... But it had to happen, of course it did! Why was he so stupid as to think he'd get to live happily ever after? That stuff was for stories. This was real life. The real world. The real world where his wife had commited murder. "You're cursed," he concluded.  
  
Paige scoffed. "What're you talking about, cursed?" She shifted her weight, folding her arms defensively. "We've got our powers back, obviously that's a good thing." Piper and Phoebe nodded their agreement.  
  
"No, what you've done is you've killed someone," Leo snapped. How could they? How could they secretly bind their powers and lie to his face? They'd had everybody fooled - him, The Elders, even their own sister. And he was scared.  
  
Piper frowned. "Oh, so what? That guy was a nobody. We can do so much more now that we're back." She exchanged sly high-fives with her sisters. What was Leo's deal?  
  
"Is that what you wanted, Piper? You wanted to keep your powers so badly you cast spells on yourselves so that you could?" He was angry with them. Enraged even, yet still totally terrified. What was going to happen to them? "You knew you were going to become evil if you kept them," he spluttered, "You all knew! But you chose to ignore that and keep them anyway... Maybe you truly are destined to be evil."  
  
Phoebe glanced at her older sister curiously. "Piper? You... cast a spell on us?"  
  
Eyes wide, Piper shook her head furiously. "I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about about. I didn't cast any spells... how could I? I didn't have my powers! Leo - we're not evil! For christ's sake that guy just happened, okay?"  
  
"Oh so the knife just slipped? You only accidentally blew him up?" Leo's words were interrupted by him crying out in pain suddenly. Bent double in agony, he explained in broken sentences that The Elders were trying to pull him away from them. "I... believe in you girls," he cried, kneeling on the ground in his painful turmoil, "You can stop this... I know you can..."  
  
The Elders pulled harder. Leo knew he couldn't hold on for much longer.  
  
"What if we don't want to?" Piper asked sharply. He was beginning to bore her now. Every time they turned evil it was the same old thing - 'I believe in you, Piper. You have to fight this, Piper,' God! As if she cared! She looked at his writhing body. Either The Elders meant business or he was a complete weakling. "Why don't you come with us this time?" she inquired. It would be nice to have her husband by her side for once.  
  
He glared at her, incredulous. "Piper, please..." he choked out. "I've chosen my side and I won't be swayed. No matter what for. Even you."  
  
Piper swept her hair out of her face, feeling more than slightly rejected. Now he had angered her, and quite frankly she didn't care for him. "You can either get with the program, or get off the bus!"  
  
"Nicely done," Paige muttered out of the corner of her smirking mouth. Piper glared at her.  
  
Leo looked at Piper as if she'd just given in to some horrible disease. "No," he uttered suddenly, "you can't!" He stood in silence for a moment, then his eyes travelled to the three women standing powerfully in front of him. "They've just revoked you as my charges... I'm not your Whitelighter anymore..." His eyes were welling up as he orbed out, leaving them standing staring at thin air.   
  
Piper's mouth fell open. "Oh," she said, her voice indicating surprise, "He's gone. They always do that... why can't he ever stick around?"  
  
Phoebe placed a comforting arm around her sister. "He'd only hold us back and cramp our style," she told Piper, "Besides, who wants to be known as The Three Sassy Witches And That Guy Who Follows Them?"  
  
"Yeah," Paige agreed, "It'd totally be bad for our image."  
  
"What image would that be?" Piper queried. "Apparently we're not the Charmed Ones anymore."  
  
Paige shrugged. "Then it'd be our new and improved image - a new generation of witches made for the real world."  
  
"It's a bit of a different world now," Phoebe said thoughtfully. "It's not good anymore."  
  
A small silence swept over them as they all processed their thoughts.   
  
"What do you wanna do?" Phoebe said after realising she was cold and wouldn't mind moving to warm herself up. She remembered that Cole was still inside. He'd be happy with this little turn of events, surely he would. Right?  
  
"What about that baby I wanted us to hit with the car?" Paige sneered. Piper and Phoebe stared at her, shocked. "Oh don't tell me you weren't thinking exactly the same thing. You so were."  
  
* * *  
  
"You let them WHAT?"  
  
"I didn't let them... I got there too late!"  
  
"No! You're... you're their whitelighter... you're supposed to watch over them... that's what we do! We watch! And we stop," Prue began to punctuate her words with punches aimed at Leo's shoulders, "them," - punch - "killing!"  
  
Leo receded from her attack. "What, you think I wanted this?" He replied defensively. "My wife is evil! I did not plan this to happen, Prue!"  
  
"Oh, and that just makes it all better, does it? God! I leave them on their own for three months - three months - and they're evil already!"  
  
She paced around her chambers, and thought about what the hell she was going to do. For some reason, her charge Stephen popped into her mind. No. She mustn't get side-tracked on her stupid crush. "Um... so what're they up to now? Have they killed anyone else?"  
  
"Just the one guy," Leo told her. "But... Prue, there's nothing we can do - the Elders revoked me as their whitelighter - you know that!"  
  
Prue stopped and glared at him. "Maybe you're not their whitelighter anymore, Leo, but you sure as hell are still Piper's husband and I'm still their big sister. They need us."  
  
"Didn't look like they needed me the other night," Leo said miserably. Being the pacifist as ever, it was difficult for him to be as enthusiastic as she was - no matter how much he loved his wife, he'd seen them turn evil before and it wasn't something he could stop in the slightest. They would have to get themselves out of this mess. The only problem this time was that he wasn't sure if they'd be able to.  
  
Sighing, Prue looked at her feet. After a pause, she sighed again. "Well, I have to try. You must understand Leo - they're my sisters! I have to."  
  
With that, she orbed out.  
  
Leo watched the cluster of tiny blue orbs sink into the soft ground and disappear. "Good luck," he whispered. 


	11. Home Alone

Chapter Eleven: Home Alone  
  
  
  
  
"Now we can do this the hard way, or the easy way," Paige said, her lips curling upwards in a wicked sneer.  
  
He remained adamant, staring cautiously into her eyes. Unblinking, Paige shoved him hard, causing him to stumble backwards. His foot caught on the coffee table, and he fell over. Landing heavily with a cry, he didn't have time to move before Paige walked over to him and sat down on his chest, straddling him.  
  
Glancing over her shoulder, Paige saw Phoebe wandering into the kitchen. "Phoebe," she called her sister through.  
  
Phoebe laughed as soon as she saw Paige. "Wow you're really good at this," she commented.   
  
"Alyak here won't tell me some stuff I wanna know concerning the Underworld," Paige told her. "Think you can help me?"  
  
Eyes flashing greedily, Phoebe disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a knife. "This help?" she asked, casually holding it up high enough so the warlock could see it and subsequently panic. He tried to wriggle free, but Paige held tight.  
  
"Why can't I blink out?" he asked, his voice high and frightened.   
  
Paige rolled her eyes. "Duh, cos I'm stopping you? Think I'm not powerful enough to hold back your weedy little powers?" She held out her palm towards Phoebe and was surprised when she didn't have to say anything; the knife orbed right into her hand. "Huh," she muttered. "Cool."  
  
Turning back to Alyak, she played the dagger along his chin slowly, relishing his expression.   
  
"I'd advise you not to move," she told him honestly, "this thing is kinda slippery and- oops!" She forced open his mouth and shoved the blade in. Now she meant business. "Feel like telling me what I wanna know now?" she growled. Eyes wide, he still remained silent. Paige pushed the blade further into his mouth, not caring if she hurt him, as long as he knew she was serious. He wouldn't bleed anyway.  
  
Phoebe bit her lip nervously as she watched. Although it looked like Paige had everything under control, it was kind of scary how well she took to the new lifestyle.  
  
Alyak was gagging slightly now on the knife. He felt if she pushed it any further into his mouth it would end up being shoved right through the back of his throat. And that wouldn't be very pleasant.  
  
Paige stared at him stonily. Then she sighed and swiftly withdrew the knife. "This isn't working," she said huffily. Then her eyes flickered up to his once more. "But never to worry, we also deal with castration!" She slid down so she was sitting on his legs. "Phoebe get his arms," she commanded.  
  
Rushing over, Phoebe grabbed Alyak's arms before he could react and pinned them to the floor, holding them steadily.   
  
"Now relax, cos this might sting just a little," Paige told him as she undid his zip.  
  
"Okay, okay I'll talk!" he cried, absolutely terrified. Smirking, Paige sat up and clambered to her feet. Phoebe let go of his arms and he leapt up, hands flying to his pants zip and pulling it up hastily. "Wow you two really know how to get someone's heart going."  
  
"You have a heart?" Paige asked teasingly.  
  
"Do you?" Alyak replied meaningfully. He looked down. "I was reluctant to talk to you... I mean, you're the Charmed Ones and I couldn't believe you'd be, well, evil... but..."  
  
"Recent events tell you otherwise, right?" Paige cut him off. "Now look, this is all very cosy and things, but you're taking a long time to tell me what I wanna know and I'm impatient." She flicked the knife against one of her fingernails, the edges gleaming in the dimmed lights.  
  
"Okay, here's what you do."  
  
* * *  
  
The manor was silent. Apart from the ticking of the grandfather clock, no noise was audible from all over the house. Prue orbed in and felt extremely disconcerted at this lack of sound. She padded through to the hallway.  
  
"Piper? Phoebe?" she paused, then added - though a great deal quieter - "Paige?" Relaxing her tense body, she inhaled deeply. 'I hope this isn't just for good witches,' she thought to herself, and concentrated on using her whitelighter power of location. Nothing. She couldn't sense them anywhere.  
  
Orbing up to the attic, she glanced at the podium, as usual. Even after death, she still felt the need to protect that damn book! She walked over to it. It was open at a page entitled "To Entrap a Faerie."  
  
Frowning, Prue leaned into the page, curious because she'd never seen it before. She reached out her hand to touch it, but to her surprise the Book glowed a bright green and shot across the room.  
  
"Oh!" she cried, not aware that she'd made the noise but shocked nonetheless. Well that was a first! The Book usually was fine with her, even after she'd died she'd been able to touch it - she'd done it the last time she'd been here. Nobody knew, of course, but she'd kinda missed the old thing. She felt almost offended at how it had flew away from her.   
  
"What, am I too good for you?" she snapped at it, then realised that what she'd said was probably what was stopping it from letting her touch it. She was literally too good! The Book of Shadows had been restored when the Charmed Ones' powers had come back; and it was evil. "Fine. You keep yourself to yourself and have your stupid faerie spells."  
  
She orbed out once again and appeared in her old room. "Woah!" Paige hadn't exactly strived to change much, oh, apart from absolutely everything! Prue didn't know what it was, but it most definitely was not her. She quickly walked out of the room and crossed to Piper's.  
  
It was the same, thank goodness. Prue wandered over to the bed and sat on the edge. She could smell Piper, that faint smell you begin to recognise off people after knowing them a long time. She hadn't noticed it until now. It made her miss Piper a lot.  
  
Clothes were strewn across the bed, and Prue noticed they were Leo's. Perhaps Piper was clearing out his stuff. She felt sad gazing at it. Wondering what to do, Prue left Piper's room and slowly made her way back downstairs. She couldn't just wait around all day for them to get back home, could she? Well... it wasn't exactly as if she had anything better to do.   
  
In the kitchen, she clicked on the kettle and waited for the water to boil. While she was doing so, she checked the supplies cupboard in search of any dubious spell ingredients.  
  
"Yeah well it's not like we pay in cash, besides, we're the Charmed Ones! They should be paying us to live there!"  
  
Piper's voice! They were home! But Prue hadn't heard the door slam or anything.  
  
Closing the cupboard, Prue turned around to face the kitchen opening where they would soon make an appearance. She hoped she didn't look too guilty. Wait - why should she?  
  
"It's still the Underworld, so if they want us to pay in powers, let's just... pay them now and smite them later! They still don't know who we are. Well, who we've become."  
  
"They'll find out soon enough."  
  
"Yeah but how soon is soon enou-" Phoebe stopped short when she saw who was in the kitchen, standing at the far end and smiling at them sheepishly. Paige and Piper stopped and stared too.  
  
"Hey," Prue said, trying to keep her voice cheery. The kettle clicked off, and a cloud of steam rose out of the funnel. "Coffee?" 


	12. Happy Days

A/N: Sorry about the agggges to update... there wasn't an exact reason or anything but meh.  
  
  
Chapter Twelve: Happy Days  
  
  
  
  
  
"Prue, what're you doing here?" Piper was the first to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the four Halliwell sisters. She walked a few paces further into the kitchen, but didn't move any closer.   
  
Prue shifted her her weight. "Just thought I'd come by for a visit. You know, see how you were all doing. Just a sister thing I guess."  
  
Folding her arms, Paige glared at Prue. She seemed to do that rather a lot. "We're fine," she said, her tone of voice indicating that Prue should leave. "All alive, all well."  
  
Pulling in a shuddering breath, Prue looked away for a moment. How was she supposed to word this? They were all watching her expectantly, and she was positive she could actually *feel* the hostility! "I know," she said quickly.  
  
Their faces were blank. "Know what?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Prue sighed exasperatedly. "You know what. That you killed someone!"  
  
"Oh that!" Phoebe said dismissively. "Well, it's not some 'one' anymore. It's more like some... three?"  
  
"Four," Piper cut in. "Remember that guy who tried to charge us extra for those ice creams."  
  
"He didn't try to charge us extra - he tried to charge us!" Paige snorted airily, and they all began to laugh.   
  
Prue watched, her mouth slightly open. She was totally shocked and totally disgusted. What had happened to them? "You guys are kidding right?" she asked, trying to keep her voice joking and light-hearted. But it was hard when you suspected your sisters were admitting to actual murder.  
  
They stared at her. "No," Piper shook her head. "Why?"  
  
"Oh," Piper said, "I forgot - you guys have to remember, Prue's good!"  
  
"Oh yeah!" Phoebe giggled. "So she is," her voice took on a mocking tone. "A beacon of good. A whitelighter."  
  
"How swell for her," Paige said stonily. "Guys, we have things to do." She turned and left the room. Just before she disappeared out of eyeshot, she actually literally disappeared! She blinked out! Prue's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she was quick to regain herself.  
  
Piper cocked her head. "Fancy sticking around for some fun?" she asked, "I think we've got an afternoon of killing, stealing, killing, looking at some new property and, uh, killing." She glanced at Phoebe. "Did I miss anything?"  
  
"Did you say killing?"  
  
"Three times."  
  
"Then no."  
  
They saw Prue staring at them with a look of sheer antipathy. Piper stopped herself from laughing. "Oh Prue, you know what's it's like," she said in scolding tones, "you've done the evil gig before!"  
  
"Yeah, been there, done that," Prue replied gravely, "So why not try something new? Why not give this one up and do something else?"  
  
"Um, because it's not that simple?" Phoebe told her. "It's not like we chose this... well, it sort of is, but only sort of... Actually I don't even know who chose this, but it totally kicks ass."  
  
Piper reinforced Phoebe's ideas. "Yeah, Prue, you're not going to become all like Leo was, are you? That's no fun. We want to keep you on good terms."  
  
Feeling tears being to stab at the back of her eyes, Prue tore her eyes away from them. How the hell were they so easy-going about this? They'd killed four people, and didn't give a shit! These weren't her sisters, they couldn't be! They were supposed to be the mighty Charmed Ones but here they were, evil and commiting kills and petty crime.  
  
"I think she looks better too," Phoebe said, completely out of the blue. "A lot more chilled out than she used to be. Well if she stopped frowning like that."  
  
Both Piper and Prue faced her. "What?"  
  
Phoebe frowned. "Piper just said she thought you were looking good," she told them. "Probably some, whitelighter thing, you look a lot less stressed than when you were-"  
  
"Phoebe," Piper stopped her, "I didn't say that." She paused, wondering if she should continue. "I, well, I thought it."  
  
Eyes wide, Phoebe's jaw dropped. "No kidding! I read your thoughts? That is so cool!"  
  
"It is?" Piper said nervously. "You better not get in my head all the time. That'd just be freaky."  
  
Prue waved her hands in the air. "Wait a minute... Phoebe just got a new power? Just like that?"  
  
Nodding, Phoebe explained. "They just keep cropping up! We're all developing new powers. We can all blink now, Paige can throw energy balls-"  
  
"I grew a wing the other day!" Piper cut in. On Prue's confused look, she continued. "You know, like a bird's wing. I woke up and it was there instead of my arm. Actually it was pretty freaky, I had to spend the entire day with a feather duster stuck to my side!"  
  
Phoebe was laughing at the memory. "Maybe you'll actually turn into a bird!"  
  
"As long as I can turn back, it's okay," Piper grinned. She saw Prue's face. "Oh Prue, don't look so disappointed with us. We did the best we could to fight against this, we really did!"  
  
Prue scowled. "Looks like your best wasn't good enough."  
  
This statement caught them unawares. They hadn't expected her to be nasty to them - after all, she was their sister! They stopped chattering and looked at her.   
  
"Look, I know you're having fun being evil and all, but enough is enough. You've got to find a way to stop this. Or else you're gonna endanger more innocents and maybe, maybe even the world!"  
  
Piper sighed. "Huh. I seem to remember asking you not to be like Leo," she said, her voice taking on a tone of menace.  
  
Taking a few steps forward, Phoebe pleaded with her sister. "Come on, Prue. Don't be like that. Why don't you join us? After all, you're a Halliwell." She reached out her hand, waiting for Prue to take it.  
  
Prue brushed her hand away. "I'm not that sort of Halliwell. You guys have gone too far. If you don't... if you don't stop this mess, then you can say goodbye to me as your sister."  
  
They stared. An ultimatum? That was unexpected. Moments passed as the silence grew longer. The sisters stared each other out in the quiet as Prue waited for an answer.  
  
Then Piper spoke. "Fine. Goodbye, Prue."  
  
She blinked out. Phoebe glanced at Prue, shrugged, then followed suit.  
  
Prue was left staring at an empty space. 


	13. Unlucky For Some

A/N: Didn't do spellcheck, sorry about mistakes.  
  
A/N: About um Psychosis, I'll continue it when I've finished this, promise. There's only a few more chapters and this will be done so *cheese* Yay I'm nearly finished!   
  
A/N: Seriously, thanks for the reviews. Methinks I might get my second ever hundred-review story! Happy days! I'm grateful to you all for making me think I actually have talent (ha!)  
  
  
  
Chapter Thirteen: Unlucky For Some  
  
  
  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"Don't talk to me," Prue swept past Leo and orbed out as soon as she'd finished her sentence. All that ever happened when she was 'up there' was that Leo was on her back about her sisters. She couldn't handle talking about it more, she needed peace, she needed a rest, she needed sanctuary.  
  
"Heya Prue."  
  
"Hi... Stephen," she smiled as soon as she saw him. He was in his tiny kitchen, putting a carton of milk back into his refrigerator.   
  
He slammed the door and faced her. "So what's the big evil?" he grinned. He really was something. A magical witch she was glad to have been assigned to. His powers consisted of a very unreliable materialisation power - the 'interestingly' named 'Thought Projection' (The Elders really wne tot work on that one!) - where he could say the name of an object and it would appear in his hand. When she thought about it, it reminded her of Paige's telekinetic orbing power, but then again, Prue smiled wider as she decided Stephen's was better. The object didn't have to be in the same room or area, even. It was a real think-it-and-it'll-appear deal! His other power, perhaps a lot easier to use, was Deflection. And that power had saved his ass on numerous occasions.  
  
If a demon or warlock threw, for example, an energy ball at him, his deflection power would open up a large blue shining portal in front of him, which would simply dissolve and absorb the power, leaving him unscathed. Prue liked to watch him use that power, reminiscing about her own life as a witch - usually when he got cocky and made fun of the demon.  
  
Who then usually charged, leaving Prue to take action and orb the poor fool out.  
  
"No evil," Prue replied. This was strange. It was her first visit to him when she didn't have a demon-related cause. But, for some reason, she just felt like she had to see him.  
  
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Nothing?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Yeah right, I know what you guys 'up there' are doing... you've got something up your sleeve. You always do."  
  
"Not this time."  
  
He bit his lower lip, and looked like he was about to say something, but stopped himself before he did.   
  
"I just," Prue searched for something to tell him, a reason for her presence. "I just thought I'd come check up on you, you know. Maybe... maybe get to know each other a little. I mean, I'm your whitelighter, but I wanna be your friend too."  
  
"That all?" he said sadly before he could help it. "I mean, sure. Sounds great."  
  
They went through to the living area of his poxy apartment. Glancing around it, Prue appreciated how different life could be for separate people. She'd lived in the manor all her life, and even then at times it had seemed small, what with the four or five of them living there at a time. But here was Stephen, in his shoebox apartment and without a complaint in the world.  
  
"So," she said, lowering herself onto the couch, "Where do we start?"  
  
Stephen sat down too and passed her a coffee. "I wanna know about you," he told her.  
  
"Me?" she stammered. Okay, she hadn't been expecting that.  
  
He watched her closely. "Yeah. I wanna know who you were, Prue, and what you did that was so great that you became what you are." As an afterthought, he added "Maybe one day I can join you."  
  
Prue put her coffee on the table and considered it. "Well, I guess I did suggest it." She watched him smile and lean back for the story. And it was some story! "I used to be a witch. Like you. And also like you, I had powers. Telekinesis... that's, uh, moving things with my mind, and Astral Projection, the ability to sort of make a double of myself and have her appear wherever I want. Yeah, Astral Prue." She smiled reminiscently, thinking about the time she'd had empath powers. That'd been a huge power-boost day for Astral Prue  
  
"Can you still use them?" he asked curiously. Two Prue's would be quite a thing to see!  
  
"No," she replied sadly. "When I became a whitelighter, my powers were taken away. I keep hoping... I keep hoping that one day I'll still wake up and it's all been a dream..."  
  
Stephen leaned forward. "But why? What you are is amazing! Think of all you can do, Prue! Think of how many times you've saved my life - which, by the way, thank you for."  
  
"It's more complicated than that," Prue said quickly, wishing she hadn't brought the whole thing up. The last thing she wanted to do was have Stephen think she was a failure if she told him how she died and what happened since then to her sisters. Then she looked into his eyes. Something about him made him seem so... trustworthy.   
  
Reaching over, Stephen took her hand comfortingly. "Prue, you don't have to worry about telling me anything. I promise I won't judge you."  
  
She laughed a little, but didn't withdraw her hand.  
  
"I'm serious," he said. "I like you Prue, a lot. Don't ever think I'd try to hurt you."  
  
Where was this coming from? Prue gazed into his eyes and felt herself lean forward. Their lips connected for a brief moment, before she pulled away.  
  
"I'm sorry," she told him, ashamed. "I shouldn't have done that."  
  
He was smiling. Prue noticed she was too.  
  
"But you did," Stephen said. "Well, we did." He settled back again, content. But he was still worried about her. "Now tell me about your life. And death. I want to know all about you."  
  
There was no relenting this guy, Prue realised. She sighed resignedly, and leant back too. "Alright," she said, and just like that, she poured her heart out. Everything that had happened, she told him. About herself, her sisters, the Charmed Ones, demons, warlocks, banshees, The Source, Shax. That was the easy part.  
  
It was a lot harder to talk about Paige, because in her heart Prue knew she felt like she'd been replaced with a newer, younger model. Paige's downfall was even worse, because it meant bringing up how she'd visited them after they'd relinquished their powers and not been able to tell something was up. Then it had all happened so suddenly - before she knew it they were evil and killing innocents!  
  
Stephen listened attentatively and sympathetically while she spoke, and grimaced when she told him about her attempt to win them over, only hours previously. When she'd finished, he handed her a tissue for the tears, and offered her his support. He really was an amazing man.  
  
He stood up and offered her his hand. Taking it, Prue found herself being pulled into a hug and hadn't felt so accepted since her death.   
  
Pity it didn't last long, for at that moment the door crashed open. 


	14. The Eagle Has Landed

A/N: Next chapter's the last one la la la la la la!  
  
A/N: To Kit: You never know, oh how you never know. Well, I do, but I'm not telling you. So there!  
  
A/N: Paigefan: Dare I say it - you were right! Boy am I inventive! I bet you're all *really* surprised! *shakes head in ashame...ment*  
  
  
Chapter Fourteen: The Eagle Has Landed  
  
  
  
  
Prue and Stephen leapt apart, as if caught doing something wrong.  
  
"I thought you said there wasn't any evil," Stephen muttered from the side of his mouth to Prue as he prepared himself for the attack.  
  
"Well, well, well," said the intruder. Prue's jaw dropped. "Looks like Prue's got herself a new love interest."  
  
Prue stepped in front of him protectively. "Phoebe?" she asked her sister desperately.  
  
Stephen jumped. "Hold on - Phoebe as in your evil sister Phoebe?"   
  
"Stephen, quiet," Prue commanded. "Phoebe, why are you here?"  
  
Phoebe leant against the doorframe, inspecting her nails with a bored expression. "House hunting," she replied absentmindely, then took several steps in. "Only problem is, those darn folks down in the Underworld don't accept cash. They like to be paid in," her eyes flickered to Stephen, "powers."  
  
Looking around his dingy apartment, Phoebe wrinkled her nose, and decided that she could do with boasting a little about their progress since last seeing Prue. "Of course, we could just take anything we wanted, but, you know, we wanna be on good terms with people down there. And besides, I could use a little practise at this... I haven't stolen powers before."  
  
"Phoebe, you don't have to go through with this," Prue told her sternly. "You can fight it."  
  
Phoebe's expression changed. "Oh," she said in a sing-song voice, "I'm cured!" There was a pause as Prue glowered at her sister's sarcasm. Shaking her head, Phoebe rolled her eyes disdainfully. "It's too late Prue. I like this me. You know what it's like," she spoke as if it was a seduction, "You've felt the power before."  
  
There was a silence as the sisters stared each other out. "You know I could summon a darklighter just like that," Phoebe said, snapping her fingers. "But somehow, I just wouldn't find it as much fun. Now let me get what I came for, and just because you're my sister, I won't kill this one. Or you."  
  
"I can't let you do that," Prue told Phoebe. "Especially not to my charge."  
  
Grinning, Phoebe's eyes played over him. "So this is the Stephen we've heard so much about," she cried. "Cute. And soon to be powerless."  
  
She held out her hand, mentally calling Stephen's powers into her own bloodstream.  
  
Stephen clutched his chest, suddenly feeling all his strength sapping. "Prue," he spluttered, "she's... taking them..." He fell to his knees weakly, trying to fight against Phoebe's pull, but she was much too strong for him.  
  
Acting quickly, Prue darted over to Phoebe and delivered a smart high kick to her outstretched arm. Phoebe cried out and withdrew her throbbing arm, glaring at Prue.   
  
"You really are an idiot, you know that?" she growled, her voice trembling slightly, full of spite. "You can't stop me Prue. You may as well give up. And you know what? I think I will kill him now. With my new new power," her angry frown slid upwards into a smirk. "And you thought the telepathy was cool."  
  
Conjuring up an energy ball, Phoebe turned her attentions to Stephen. "Hope Prue didn't like you too much," she uttered darkly, sending it hurtling towards his terrified face. He used his deflection power without even thinking about it; Phoebe's energy ball was absorbed right into the blue shield, and disappeared.  
  
Phoebe stared. "That is so cool!" she said, sounding exactly like her former - good - self. Then she shook herself out of it. "But you won't be able to hold it forever."  
  
She began to throw a barrage of energy balls, each one smashing into Stephen's deflection, but he was visibly weakening as she was just getting started. Smirking, Phoebe conjured an extra-large one, and shot it straight at the shield.   
  
Once it was absorbed, the blue portal Stephen was protecting himself with vanished. He wasn't powerful enough to keep it up. Sweating, he attempted to bring it back, flicking his wrists towards the floor in the style Piper would freeze something. But nothing happened. Prue began to hurry to his side.  
  
Shaking the hair from her face, Phoebe made one last energy ball, and blasted it right at him.  
  
There was an explosion as it hit, shattering into a million tiny pieces.   
  
Phoebe's mouth fell open when she saw he was still standing. "What the..."  
  
The tiny blue orbs rearranged themselves back into Prue. She had leapt in front of the energy ball to protect him.   
  
"I guess being a whitelighter isn't so bad," she said, then snatched Stephen's hand. "Come on. We are so outta here."  
  
Before Phoebe could protest or keep her promise and summon a darklighter, they were gone. Enraged at their escape and her humiliation, Phoebe stamped her foot, scratching the bare floorboards with her heel. "Bitch!" she spat angrily. Shoulders sagging, she blinked out.  
  
*  
  
"Where are we?" Stephen asked as they orbed in.  
  
Prue quickly closed the door of her chambers. "Somewhere you shouldn't be," she replied, feeling her nerves heighten in worry. What if they were caught? She saw him standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. "Make yourself at home," she told him. "You might be here for a while."  
  
Stephen sat down on the bed. "Is this your place?" he asked. The room consisted of one colour: white. He felt like he was making a mess just sitting there. "It's... nice."  
  
"Can't say I'm a fan," Prue told him honestly as she continued to keep a look out.  
  
"So where exactly are we?" he asked again.   
  
Prue stopped what she was doing and turned around. "The one true place where you'll be safe," she said. She knew she must be sounding like Leo, but somehow she couldn't help but talk in cryptic sentences. It was like a whitelighter psychological dysfunction, and now that she thought about it, that was a pretty neat term for it! Even though it made her sound nuts.  
  
"You mean we're," he lowered his voice, "Up There?"  
  
"Not quite," Prue said. She sat beside him. "We're sorta... halfway there." On his blank expression, she sighed. "This is hard... I'm not sure if I understand it myself. Yes, we are 'up there', but the place we are has the same time system as on Earth, thank god."  
  
Stephen blinked. "What is it usually?"  
  
"Um, something like one day here to one Earth month," she said thoughtfully. "We found that out the hard way when Piper decided to pay a short visit to the Elders and didn't come back for weeks."  
  
Nodding, Stephen tried to take in the atmosphere of the place. It was calm, tranquil, that was for sure. "And I'm not supposed to be here, right?"  
  
She laughed. "Mere mortals such as yourself aren't supposed to be here, no. But I have good reason to keep you here. So you're staying, whether the Elders like it or not."  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe blinked into the manor. "Piper?" she called, "Paige?"  
  
Silence.   
  
Taking a few steps further into the hall, she peeked into the living room and saw it was a mess. Glass was everywhere and the grandfather clock was shattered. "Great. Why does that always happen?" she grimaced.  
  
Hearing a noise from upstairs, a high-pitched squealing sound, she hastily rushed up the stairs. It was coming from Piper's room. Bursting in, Phoebe searched the room. "Piper? You here?"  
  
It was empty. Phoebe got an uneasy shiver travel down her back. She turned around.  
  
'Phoebe?' said a voice. Wait... but nobody spoke... it was like she'd heard it in her head. It spoke again. 'Phoebe? It's Piper... I'm on the mirror.'  
  
She realised Piper must be talking to her telepathically. "Oh," she said, whipping around. Her mouth fell open in awe when she saw Piper. "Is that really you?" she asked.  
  
The eagle leapt off the rim of the mirror and flew over to Phoebe, who outstretched her arm for Piper to land on.  
  
"Ow, claws," Phoebe cried. The eagle looked up at her apologetically. "You look amazing, you know that?" Phoebe told it.  
  
The eagle cocked it's head. 'Don't I always?' it said silently.  
  
It glided over onto Piper's bed, and began the painful morph back to it's human form. Phoebe watched, wincing. It looked like it hurt. A lot.  
  
When she was back, Piper grinned at Phoebe, her forehead glistening. "What do you think?" she asked, panting slightly from the change.  
  
"I think I'm glad it's not happening to me," Phoebe replied.   
  
"Yet."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "And I also think you should put some clothes on."  
  
Looking down, Piper yelped when she saw her slight nakedness issue. "Where the hell did my clothes go?" she squealed while tugging the bed blankets up to cover herself. Then she saw the small pile of clothes in the corner. When she morphed, she must've simply discarded them. "Great. How am I gonna deal with that? Wear lycra?"  
  
Phoebe snorted in laughter and shaking her head at her panicked sister, blinked downstairs. Moments later, Piper was by her side, fully dressed again. They were in the living room. It was still a mess.   
  
"Oh man not the clock," Piper complained. "I'll call the repair guy."  
  
Phoebe giggled softly - it was always the same thing. "What happened in here?"  
  
Piper looked at her reproachfully. "Paige," she shrugged. "What else? She's quite the little persuader, you know that?"  
  
Thinking back to when Paige had threatened to castrate a warlock for information, Phoebe bit her lip and nodded. She knew only too well how well Paige had taken to this life change.  
  
Piper wandered away, leaving Phoebe to contemplate her thoughts. She wasn't expecting any visitors, but Cole was always a nice surprise, and he appeared right then.  
  
"Hey," she said, pulling a strand of hair in front of her face and playing with it.  
  
"Have you thought about what I said?" he asked urgently, referring to a previous conversation.  
  
She sighed in annoyance. "You're not still on about me trying to be good are you?" she whined. "Cole, you should be happy! You finally get to be who you're supposed to be!"  
  
Shaking visibly, he looked down at her. She was so comfortable in her new life, he almost agreed to stay with her right then, just because he felt so overcome with love. But it was wrong. How could he continue to resist though? He loved her, for gods sake! Surely all that mattered was that they were together, right?  
  
Raising her eyebrows questioningly, Phoebe could tell Cole was battling with his conscience. She hoped it'd lose. She'd love to have Cole by her side as they took over the Underworld. Sure it seemed like an ambitious plan, but if they had been the most powerful force of good, then it seemed only natural to assume they were soon to be the most powerful force of evil. It would be easy to take out the Source and claim full power over the Underworld.  
  
Cole gazed at her with pained eyes. He couldn't bear to lose her. And then and there, he made his choice.  
  
Leaning forward and kissing her, perhaps for the last time, Cole was certain he'd made the right decision. She glanced at him curiously, awaiting his answer.  
  
He wouldn't give it to her. He shimmered away. 


	15. The Beginning Of The End Or The End Of T...

Chapter Fifteen: The Beginning Of The End Or The End Of The Beginning?  
  
  
  
  
  
"Welcome home, welcome," Piper sang waveringly as she walked into the Charmed Ones' new home. "Ugh, more like 'Welcome To The Jungle'," she commented on seeing the mess of overgrown vines and roots. "Guy this place is a sham! Look at it! How many powers did we pay for it?"  
  
"We could've kept those powers," Phoebe noted mournfully.  
  
Paige flung a bag to the ground. "You guys should really use your initiative from time to time," she told them, and waved a hand slowly around the room. Thousands upon thousands of tiny blue orbs filled the room, lighting it up so much that it was hard to see. When eventually they had disappeared and Paige's work was done, the grimy walls and earthy floors had changed. The floor became a polished marble, the walls clean slate, and the ceiling was charmed to look like the night stars were really above them.  
  
"How Harry Potter," Phoebe smiled, and looked around. "Wow Paige. This is amazing."  
  
"Not done yet," Paige muttered, and pointed her hand at the centre of one of the slate walls. Orbs appeared and a huge gaping hole appeared in the wall, which was soon filled with a roaring fire. Then Paige orbed about thirty flame torches into hooks in the walls to give the rest of the room some light. Each torch was a different colour, giving the room a beautiful mellow atmosphere. To finish the effect, she waved towards the ceiling and a huge chandelier orbed in, lit with bright candles. Once that was finished, Paige breathed in deeply. "Now I'm done."  
  
Her sisters gaped around them at what Paige had done. "It's incredible," Piper said. "How did you do that? New power?"  
  
"Not quite," Paige smirked. "Just my old orbing power got... really, really developed. This stuff's stolen from nearby areas. Pretty nice though, huh?"  
  
"Beautiful. And now I can see why we paid so much for this - it's huge!"  
  
Piper grinned at Phoebe. "I like this. I like this a lot." Then her hand flew to her mouth as she remembered something. "Oh! The cat!"  
  
There was a pause as Phoebe and Paige tried to think of the cat in question. "Kit!" Phoebe suddenly gasped. "Who's gonna feed her? Did we feed her anyway?"  
  
"Who's Kit?"  
  
Silence. Piper bit her lip and shrugged. "Maybe she can just look after herself." She laughed and was joined by Phoebe. "Come on, let's check out the rest of this place," she urged and the three of them set off, Phoebe running ahead dragging Piper and Paige by their hands.   
  
The entrance to the lair (as they were soon to name it) opened into the main room which Paige had just redecorated. Leading from that main room were two arching corridors, which Paige spruced up as they explored. They chose the left archway first. "Right is so passé," Paige had announced. Going along the underground passageway, Paige kept the marble floors but chose to just leave the walls and ceiling to their stoney selves. She was beginning to think she was running out of sources to orb-steal the marble and slate from. Funnily enough, it seemed there was more marble available. She smirked at the thought that she could be stealing it from The Source's very own private lair, but she had other plans for him anyway.  
  
Since the passageway they'd picked led to three new rooms each with separate rooms leading off from them, the sisters decided to make it their living quarters. "Ooh, en suite bathrooms!" Phoebe squealed. "This is so much more fun than I thought it would be!"  
  
Paige smiled and orbed bedroom furniture into the room that would be hers. The colours of choice were black, deep bloody reds and jungle greens.  
  
"Paige, I don't know how you did it," Piper said once she'd finished, "But you just made red and green actually look good together."  
  
"Natural flair," Paige replied, quickly going into her new bathroom to give it a once over. "Man, wherever this stuff came from, it's neat."  
  
In a matter of minutes, each sister had their own lavishly decorated chambers and bathrooms, and the sisters hurried back to the main room to check out the rest of the place. "I can't believe there's more," Phoebe gushed. "I'm starting to think that not only was this a great deal, but this was a really great deal!"  
  
The right archway led to more rooms, which quickly became another bedroom, and as they wandered into another room Piper knew exactly what she wanted. "A kitchen. With everything."  
  
"Your wish," Paige grinned, and concentrated on orbing the most expensive kitchen equipent from wherever she could. The result was like Piper's dream come true.  
  
She danced around the machines. "Ooh, oh, oh my god, oh! This place, oh!"  
  
"Have an orgasm, why don't you?" Phoebe laughed at her antic sister. On Paige and Piper's despairing stares, Phoebe only giggled harder. "Piper loves to cook, what can I say?"  
  
The final room was clear as to what it was going to be for. They walked in, instantly becoming aware of the chilled air. "Well I know what's going in here," Paige held her hand out. "Book."   
  
Her hands dipped under the weight of the Book of Shadows as it orbed into her hands. She looked down at the cover. "Hey look," she drew Piper and Phoebe's attention to the picture of the triquetra - the symbol of the power of three, the Charmed Ones. Well, it used to be the triquetra. "Check it out," she uttered, staring at the new symbol. It was triangle-shaped, each of the corners was intact, but the three sides were broken.  
  
"Seen that before," Piper commented, and completely randomly she blinked out.  
  
"Where the hell'd she go?" Phoebe stuttered.  
  
Paige shrugged. Seconds later, Piper replied with the Book of Shadow's podium in tow. On Paige and Phoebe's apprehensive looks, she raised her shoulders and beamed at them. "It's not the same Book without this old thing. Now help me with it, cos damn is it heavy!"  
  
Once the Book was resting in it's rightful place on the podium, the sisters took a breather and made their ways back to the main room. They went over to the only piece of furniture they'd been privided with in their 'underground lair'. It was an extremely aged and very large oak table. Paige ran a hand over it's knots before perching on the edge. "What do we call this place?" she questioned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, it seemed like everything always had a name. The manor. The Book. The Underworld. The club. You know? I don't wanna call this place 'home' or a house cos it's not exactly much of a house is it?"  
  
Nodding, the other sisters thought for a moment. "Well I'm going with our evil lair," Phoebe said quickly. "The lair. How'd you like it?"  
  
Laughing, Piper nodded. "The lair. Very foreboding."  
  
They settled themselves and stood in contemplatative silence for a few minutes.  
  
"It's been an eventful couple of months," Phoebe finally said as she kicked back in comfort in thier new home. There was a pause. "Well I'm done relaxing. What should we do now?"  
  
Piper stuck out her lower lip thoughtfully, then laughed. "It's easy. We take out The Source, steal the grimoire and rule the Underworld!"  
  
The three Charmed Ones laughed in spite of themselves. Little did they know how close Piper's suggestion was to what they actually would do.  
  
* * *   
  
Prue sat alone on her bed, contemplating her next move. After finding out about her sisters moving to the Underworld, Prue decided it was safe enough to send Stephen back home. Only now she found herself missing his presence and the way he made her feel like she could actually fix this.  
  
Still, she also simply wanted to be alone. She wanted to lie on her bed and wallow in her own misery, to berate herself, to hurt herself, anything that would punish her for being such a bad sister. She deserved the pain.  
  
Nobody could know how she felt. Not even Stephen. She'd opened up to him before and although it made her feel so much better at the time, on reflection she knew how it made her look. Weak. Pathetic. He would never want a crybaby like her. Nobody ever would. Or nobody ever did, even when she was alive. Except Andy.  
  
"This is useless," she moaned, begging her mind to avoid thinking about Andy. She flopped back onto her bed restlessly and concentrated on her breathing. After a few minutes of lying still in her own self-pity, she heard a voice at the back of her head call her name. "What do you want?" she muttered resignedly, but she wasn't allowed to ignore her charges. She orbed out.  
  
And reappeared in Stephen's apartment.   
  
He was standing facing away from her, but he turned sharply on her arrival. His brow was knit and his clasped hands were resting at his chin.   
  
There was a silence as they stared at each other.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked after a while.  
  
Prue nodded defiantly. Then she slowed, and began to shake her head. She couldn't keep this up any longer, she couldn't. What was it about this man that made her go so weak at the knees that she couldn't even hide from him? Pursing her lips to hold back the tears, she let Stephen take her into his arms and hold her, stroking her hair and rubbing her back gently.  
  
After a while, she pulled away. "I'm gonna stop them you know," she told him decisively. "No matter what, I'll stop them."  
  
"I know sweetie," he said soothingly and kissed her forehead. "I know."  
  
Prue rested her head on his shoulder. "Whatever it takes."  
  
  
  
  
  
End of part one.  
  
  
  
  
A/N: You heard me! Part one! Meaning that oh yes there is indeed a part two on the way... I despair for you guys, really I do.  
  
Thanks for all your support, I hope you enjoyed reading this. A lot. And as for the sequel, I hope you like it just as much and if not more. I certainly do! But first, I have a squillion stories to get out of the way... and... oh crap, you're not wanting me to finish Psychosis are you? *whines* It's so harrrrrrd!   
  
But anyways, merci beaucoup! 


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